In every one of us there is a hidden child

Playful Grave, originally uploaded by MontanaRaven.

Is it an oxymoron? "Playful Grave?" Not when the toys decorate the grave of a child.

We are most nearly ourselves when we achieve the seriousness of a child at play.
-- paraphrased from Heraclitus

These are just a few of the decorations near a simple grave. No headstone. No stone at all. Just a little sign with the child's name and age (3) and these poignant ornaments and toys. The sun was almost down for the night though this small grave held the last beam of the day, shining on the whirling pinwheel.

I took these photos lying down on the damp grass looking up at the wind and the fading blue ... seeing through sparkling colors and spinning wings what a very young child would see.

All around me, there are scattered small things ... treasures you might find in a toddler's pocket at the end of a day: tinsel, ribbons, little pebbles and marbles, a handful of snail shells, bright bows, beads, wire and string. The grave is covered with playthings and memories, with toys that sparkle and catch the light, red plastic gladiolas and a whirligig. torn kites, wind-chimes, two birdhouses. These objects hold a family's memory of happy times and the tragedy of their loss.