Memory Day

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Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
~From a headstone in Ireland


Aaron Sverre Harkness - 30 years old


Bruce Daniel Higginson - 16 years old


My brother, Bruce, is actually buried in Missouri. This is where we lived back when he passed away. When Aaron and I were dating, Aaron came on a trip with my family to go back and visit some of the church history sites and go to the Nauvoo Temple open house. We stopped at Bruce's grave and this photo of Aaron and me was taken there. (side note: this was also the day we 'officially' got engaged with a ring. I'll tell that story sometime)


This was our first Memorial Day spent together. Here we were taking a break after playing croquet with some of my family. We weren't 'officially' engaged yet, but we were secretly engaged. We even had our date reserved at the temple by this time.


This was our last Memorial Day spent together. We went hiking with some of my family up to Donut Falls. In this photo, while everyone else is hiking up to see the falls, Aaron is standing there on the right contemplating if that is the way he wants to go...


... then he headed up the other direction... the more dangerous direction... and John (my sister Lisa's husband) followed right behind him. We were both very nervous watching from down below. But this is SO like Aaron... he always tried to go his own way. I guess you would call him very adventurous. Thank heavens they both made it to the falls okay.


Here are most of the other people around the falls. Aaron and John are at the top...


... here is a closer shot of them. I didn't see it happen, but all of a sudden, I was told that Aaron jumped into the freezing cold water fully clothed. This is another thing Aaron always seemed to do... jump into any body of water whether he had a swimsuit or not.


This is Aaron coming down afterwards... soaking wet.


Here we are... our family.


Aaron and Aaron Jr. on the hike back to the cars.


Later in the day, Dave and April called to see if we wanted to go to the Jazz playoffs game that night. So, we hurried over to their place and we all drove into Salt Lake to go to the game. I had no idea it would be our last Memorial Day together, but if it HAD to be, it was a really great day. Between the hike and the Jazz game, we managed to squeeze in a bar-b-que with my family and also Aaron went horseback riding with my brother-in-law, John. It was a full day and it has a lot of great memories. I am grateful that we were able to do so much so that we have such fond things to look back on.


Now... on to today. We woke up to pouring rain. We went to the cemetery to visit Aaron's grave with my parents. Thanks Dad and Mom for going with us. And thanks to anyone else who was able to make it out there.


Aaron Jr.


Leslie and Aaron Jr.

It was rainy and very wet, but the sun did manage to peek out a few times through the rain while we were there. Later in the day, we were able to go to a bar-b-que with my family and it stopped raining. It was a nice day... considering.

I was quite disappointed when we woke up to rain today, but as I thought more and more about it as the day went on, I figured that it suited the day pretty well. I figured that as long as there were going to be so many of us weeping for our lost loved ones here on earth today, why not have the heavens weeping right along with us?

I am so grateful for our memories of Aaron and Bruce.

Peace to each manly soul that sleepeth; Rest to each faithful eye that weepeth... ~Thomas Moore

We love you Aaron and Bruce...

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