Editing Our Town (section)

===Act III: Death and Eternity===
Nine years have passed. In a lengthy [[monologue]], the Stage Manager discusses eternity ("we all know something is eternal"), focusing attention on the cemetery outside of town, which dates to the 1670s, including people who have died since the wedding -  Mrs. Gibbs ([[pneumonia]], while traveling), Wally Webb (burst appendix, while camping), Mrs. Soames, and Simon Stimson ([[suicide by hanging]]). The Stage Manager posits "the dead don't stay interested in us living people for very long . . . gradually they lose hold of the earth . . . They're waitin'. They're waitin' for something that they feel is comin'. Something important, and great." 

Town undertaker Joe Stoddard is introduced, as is a young man named Sam Craig who has returned to Grover's Corners for his cousin's funeral. That cousin is revealed to be Emily, who died giving birth to her and George's second child. 

Once the funeral ends Emily emerges to join the dead and, after observing the grief of George and Dr. Gibbs, asks Mrs. Gibbs if it is possible to temporarily return. Mrs. Gibbs urges her to forget her life, warning her that being able to see but not interact with her family, all the while knowing what will happen in the future, will cause her too much pain. Ignoring the warnings of Simon, Mrs. Soames, and Mrs. Gibbs ("our life here is to forget all that, and think only of what's ahead"), Emily returns to Earth to relive one day, her 12th birthday. 

She joyfully watches her parents and some of the people of her childhood for the first time in years, but her happiness quickly turns to pain as she realizes how little people appreciate the simple activities of life ("It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another."). The recognition proves too painful for her ("all that was going on, and we never noticed") and she realizes that every moment of life should be treasured. 

Emily asks the Stage Manager to return her to the dead, then hesitates and in a final monologue says goodbye to mortal life ("Oh earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you"). She asks the Stage Manager if anyone truly understands the value of life while they live it; he responds, "No. The saints and poets, maybe – they do some." 

Emily returns to her grave next to Mrs. Gibbs and watches impassively as George kneels weeping over her. The Stage Manager concludes the play and wishes the audience a good night.