Municipal Memorial Stones

We were at the Sedona Public Library today, and enjoyed the big patio outside.  We were there about 15 minutes before they open so we had a chance to explore, and we liked the variety of memorial stones added to the walkways.

There are most often the names of loved ones or past donors to library causes.  But sometimes they are quirky quotes or little bits with personality.

I can do without the ones that are references to scripture or bible quotes.  You can't commemorate your loved ones without pushing your religion at everyone who walks by?

Here are the ones that resonated the most with us today.  Motivational or positive, or bits of wisdom, from any source:

I have often wondered exactly how these memorials are submitted or selected.  There must be some charitable process that gets the words onto the commemorative tiles, with some amount of donation.  I could not find this on the website for this particular library, but all kinds of other donations are welcome.  Libraries are an important hub of our communities.  There were hundreds of stones here not yet written, so there is room for many more of these memories, quotes and memorials. 

This one was just weird.  But okay.  There's probably a story behind it, maybe well known in the community.

 

These are not always at libraries, of course.  Many walkable downtown areas have them.  I think I have seen them in every zoo I have ever visited, sometimes in walkways, sometimes filling the walls with memories of past donors and friends.  I like to spend some time reading them -- it's easy to walk past and not even notice, but these are people and quotes to be remembered, a hint of how many donations and volunteers it takes to keep our establishments running.  

For today, it's the Sedona Public Library.  Stop by and sit by the fire pit, surrounded by open air, trees and mountains.  

Today we came across another set of stones at the Cottonwood City Hall.  These are less creative or quirky, but fill the memory space as intended.

Here we have a postmaster, two architects, an archaeologist, "Mark in the Morning" (obviously a local radio guy), the Gulch Radio, hang gliding, preservation, people who were loved, and "make a little birdhouse in your soul."