Ah, the day of the dead...it's is on Halloween right?
But oh how much fun it is to see the ideology of the Day of the Dead - that really almost pleasant outlook on death and life and the combination and celebration of both.
The spiritual idea that Halloween is a sort of "thinning of the veil" between earth and the spiritual realms we know, is not a new one. Which is probably why the idea of death haunts us so much: the idea of the dead coming back is obviously not one that sits well with a lot of people. That's why we have so many zombie movies and shows. I'm looking at you, Walking Dead.
I once went to a funeral where a mother had died, and his son had told us specifically that he didn't want her funeral reception to be mournful. He wasn't canonizing her, but he was very clear that he wanted her life celebrated. And it was a party - because he loved her, and we loved him.
It was a really cool experience that I think everyone should have: the ability to celebrate someone because they were. Yes, we were sad that she was gone, but we were happy that she was here. In the same way, I love the idea of the Day of the Dead - not even so much a celebration of death, but a celebration of having lived. The ability to keep one's memory alive even after they are gone - to keep them close to us, almost to the point that we are still keeping them alive.
Much love, and have a happy Halloween!
Ceci Galvin
CYM, St. John the Evangelist
