Dear Editor,

With all due respect to Uli Larosa [Grave Tales tours lack respect, Oct. 16 Letters, Langley Advance], I see graveyard "tours" as a way of bringing history to life, in a manner of speaking.

I did not read the article to which he refers [Graves have stories to tell, Oct. 11, Advance], and so am not sure if it is only the aspect that someone is trying to make a profit off the tour that he finds disgusting.

Having gone on a few guided (and several unguided) tours of historic graveyards, I can assure Mr. Larosa that the tours I have been on were conducted with the utmost of respect and dignity. I, myself, have always treated the grave sites that we visited, as well as the surrounding sites, with the respect I would hope others display when visiting the area of my loved ones' sites.

While reading the headstones, I often imagine the lives these people would have lived. Who did they love? What were their greatest joys, their toughest hardships and sorrows?

It's not just morbid curiosity, in my opinion, it's about recognizing that we can't take life for granted, and about being thankful for the life that we do have.

I absolutely apologize to anyone that I may have offended by participating in one of these tours.

I have lost both of my parents, but when I think about it, I take a bit of comfort in the fact that someone may be "visiting" their grave site on the way to another plot.

Mr. Larosa, please accept my sincere sympathy on your loss, and I hope that my letter does not add further stress.

DeeDee Bakker, Aldergrove