Blog: Remembering - Day of the Dead
Remembering
- a Day of the Dead blog by Della Valenzuela
Submitted by Jan Buerge on
I lost my mom and my dad several years ago. I grieved, I grieve, and I also celebrate. What amazing people I had the pleasure of knowing, of raising me, of forming me, of making me exactly who I am. Death is sad. We miss the dead. I get it. I miss my parents. I wish I could have had them in my life for a longer time. But things happen as they do. We are made of our experiences. My experience is I lost two people early in my 40's and I have found my way without their physical guidance, but with their memories and the lessons taught.
I think of my parents daily. I remember, I smile, I recall a phrase - I often laugh. They were my people. My mom was a bad cook; my dad thought his singing was on key. I celebrate their lives, their strangeness, their love, their uniqueness. I like that so much better than only feeling sad. Death is a given. But, wow, these two people were these cool hippies that raised me and became amazing people who touched many lives.
So I celebrate the memories. That's all we have, sometimes. Day of the Dead is all about that. Celebrating. Raising a cup. Remembering the vices, the importance, the essence of someone we have lost, someone who brought themselves to the table. Celebrate the hell out of __[you choose]___. What we remember. What we shared. What we learned. They were important, they mattered, they touched us, and they live within us, always.
I would like to offer an invitation. We are featuring memory boxes in our front window to celebrate those we have lost - in honor of Day of the Dead. World's Window is a family. We, as a family, have lost some members. We as a family have lost people that are dear, that have changed lives and have impacted those of us who still are here. Someone - anyone - who would like to - I am inviting you to bring, e-mail or send a photo (or copy of a photo) of someone you have lost that you would like to celebrate. We will build a picture wall and remember and celebrate those who we have loved. Day of the Dead is about celebration. Crazy, happy, wild colors and flowers, celebration. Our loved ones deserve to be celebrated. They are missed and they were amazing!
