My story begins badly but ends on a positive note. It’s about my Gran-Gran, the sweetest lady alive, who raised me and my brothers during our parents’ divorce. Ahead of her 83rd birthday, she surprised us by organizing a brunch at her place, despite her deteriorating health, making her own bread and pastries, and sending handwritten invites.
On her birthday, I arrived 10 minutes late to find her cleaning up alone. She admitted, “Sany, you aren’t too late, no one bothered showing up on my birthday. But it’s okay, sweetheart. I know everyone is busy.” My heart broke. Everyone had promised to be there, but none showed up. I hugged her and decided to take action.v
I lied to my family, saying Gran-Gran had fallen and was in the hospital, convincing them to send money for hospital bills. I collected a significant amount and used it to book a trip for Gran-Gran and me to a beach resort she’d always wanted to visit. We spent a week enjoying the sun, the sea, and each other’s company. I shared the trip images on social media, tagging all our family members.
When we returned, Gran-Gran was glowing. “Thank you for this, darling. It’s been the best week of my life,” she said. From that day on, my family never missed another event. They showed up for every birthday, holiday, and Sunday dinner. Every time I saw Gran-Gran’s happy face, I knew it had all been worth it. Do you think I overreacted and took things too far?
If you find a coin on a loved one’s gravestone, you had better know what it means
We all have different traditions when it comes to commemorating and paying tribute to our loved ones who have passed away.
In today’s world, honoring the customs of others while commemorating the lives of the departed ought to come as standard practice. Some may choose to follow traditions or practices that the rest of us are not familiar with, but it doesn’t make them any less legitimate.
The same is true with gravestones and the ornamentation certain families choose to place over their loved ones’ last resting places. Coins being placed on headstones is one custom that is widely practiced and that you have probably witnessed at some point. However, why is this even a thing? And from whence did it originate? Continue reading to learn more.
Coins are traditionally placed on gravestones in cemeteries around the United States and other countries. When I was a little child, I first observed it when I was at my grandfather’s tomb, and even then, I started to wonder what it was all about.
Luckily, finding the beginnings online doesn’t need much research. Although it was previously thought that the practice originated with Roman military troops, a number of sources have disproved that theory in recent years.
Still, there’s a military connection to leaving pennies on gravestones. The American Legion Website states on one of its pages that it can be linked to the Vietnam War.
“Leaving a coin was considered a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the soldier’s grave than contacting the soldier’s family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war, due to the political divide in the country over the war.”
There are other reasons why veterans leave pennies on gravestones in memory of their fallen friends; occasionally, they do so in order to purchase a beer for them. Each coin represents a different meaning, according to reports.
For instance, a nickel is left by someone who served in boot camp with the deceased, whereas a penny just indicates that someone was present.
On the other hand, a dime represents a combined period of military service. Next are quarters, which inform the family of the presence of whoever left the coin at the moment of the loved one’s passing.
Ever notice a penny left on a gravestone? Were you aware of its meaning? Tell us in the comments below.
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