The honoring and rememberence of those who have gone before does not end with Halloween or Samhain. Today is Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Today people will gather in homes and in cemeteries to celebrate life. Does that sound like a paradox? It is.
Families will decorate alters and graveyards with colorful decorations, music will play, candles and incense will be lit. Special food prepared and shared with both the living and the dead. Stories told, laughter heard, the bonds of family strengthened.
All life has a cycle. Its something that we are all aware of, but we'd rather not think of the end of that cycle. That cycle is sacred. Life is sacred. But we just don't want to think about death and how to honor that part of life.
I work in a hospital. I have been involved with "Code Blue" and even performed chest compressions on those folks who want everything done to keep them alive. It can be a brutal thing to do to a person. Sometimes I have wondered why? Why are we doing all of this on a 90 year old person with Alzheimer's? Or terminal cancer? Or end stage liver or kidney failure? Is it because we are more afraid of death than we are of living with the disease and its treatment no matter how hard it is to go through? My personal opinion is that just because we have the technology doesn't mean we always need to use it. We need to enjoy every stage of life.
I hope today that you will honor those who have gone on before you. Remember them with love, a smile, a laugh, with joy.
