El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead)

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One of my favorite traditions is the Day of the Dead which is typically celebrated around the first of November.  This is an important time of the year when Latino communities and families gather to remember spirits of relatives and friends.  The celebration emerges from the indigenous people of Mexico who believe the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives.  It is a time of reunion, when the living remember and honor their dead. 

Altars are an important part of the celebration and they may be simple or elaborate, but the purpose is the same--they are created to honor loved ones.  Skeletons are often used to symbolize the spirits and if you came to my office or home you would find skeletons all over doing such fun and interesting things. 

I like this celebration because it reinforces my belief that what is important about life is that we are making a difference on others.  The celebration reminds us to ask ourselves if we are living our lives and spending our time in ways that others might remember us after we are gone.

One of the key elements to living a quality life is to embrace our mortality so that we are freer to live.  Living on in someone else's memory is a great testimonial that we made a difference.  Pausing to remember people who positively influenced our life is a wonderful way to reflect and to give thanks for having them in our life.

In fact, they are with us always as long as we take the time to remember them. 

So what do you think: 

Are we spiritual beings on a human journey or are we human beings on a spiritual journey? 

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Comments

[Teresa Beiermann]

I've always found El Dia de los Muertos interesting as well. In high school we visited an exhibit at an art museum that set up a bunch of altars for some families in the area that celebrated the holiday. I've always thought it was cool because instead of mourning the person's death every year they celebrate it by remembering the person's life and who they were. It makes me wonder what my family would put on my altar. It's just another reminder to be conscious of how I am portraying myself to others and how they will remember me.

[Jann Freed]

If leaving a legacy is important, then remembering who someone was and honoring memories is a great way to celebrate life. It is such a wonderful tradition and healthy way to look at life and death and legacy. Thanks for thinking.