The Appeal of Graveyards

Mt. Aubern Cemetery (near Boston)

1. It is a convenient place, when warm enough outside, to go talk, drink, socialize, party, make out, and so forth. Graveyards have the same appeal that a public park would to the average person. Someone lacking a place to drink indoors will find a place outside. Cemeteries are one of the many options -- others include parks, camping areas, the parking lot of a church, etc.
   
   
2. It is a quiet place which lends itself to introspection and reflection on what life is about and what is important. It puts us in touch with our own mortality. If we understand the fragility of life, we are better able to appreciate it. We get away from TV, computers, stress, responsibility, superficiality and the unimportant things that invade our lives. A graveyard promotes a level of introspection and reflection that not many other places can.
   
   
3. Graveyards are beautiful. The sculptures, mausoleums and grave sites are often elaborate and ornate. They are a gothic museum, a favorite place to take artistic pictures.
   
   
4. The mystery and supernatural atmosphere that surrounds graveyards is alluring. People often feel a spiritual or supernatural presence there. Goths generally tend to focus on the supernatural.