I’ve never celebrated Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) before. This year our school is hosting a Celebration of Life: Day of the Dead on Monday and Tuesday during the lunch hours.
So wanting to know more … I spent a bit of time with Google. I learned that the day is an opportunity to honor loved ones who have died. The symbols include highly decorated skulls – a symbol of death and of rebirth. The marigold flower is also used to represent rays of the sun.
The idea is to rejoice in the living memories of those that have passed on.
And so today … I’m reminded of an old hymn …
Precious memories, how they linger,
How they ever flood my soul;
In the stillness of the midnight,
Precious, sacred scenes unfold.
In the stillness of the midnight,
Echoes from the past I hear;
Old time singing, gladness bringing,
From that lovely land somewhere.
I have precious memories of my mom. She went to heaven about four years ago. I’ve written blog posts in her memory before … here, here and here.
Tonight I miss her! Mom was joyful … and so I celebrate her not with tears … but with smiles, and fond memories of fun times … cooking, football parties, church, playing on the beach, fishing!
… echoes from the past I hear … old time singing … gladness bringing!