All Saints Day / Day of the Dead

A friend of mine reminded me that yesterday was Day of the Dead "el dia de los muertos." Although I have been to Mexico several times for work or vacation, I have never been there for this celebration. Melanie and I have talked about taking a trip to Oaxaca during this festival, and I am sure we will do it one day. Oaxaca is one of my favorite cities in Latin America. We spent our honeymoon there.

Dia de los muertos is a day to celebrate those who are no longer with us. Several alters are created and it usually includes four main elements of nature -- earth, wind, water, and fire. Earth is represented by crop, wind is represented by a moving object, water is placed in a container for the soul to quench its thirst after the long journey to the alter and fire is represented by a wax candle. It is believed that during el dia de los muertos, the dead come back to visit those still living.

As many of you know I lost my mom to cancer this past August. The whole thing is sad, and I think about her every day and how much she would have loved to be a grandma. I always think of my mom as a pioneer. She loved being involved in her community, was curious about the people she met, and enjoyed the simple things in life. During my mom's funeral, my sister Laura came up with a Top Ten list for my mom. I think it is a good guide to raising a family as well:

Get involved in your community
Work in your garden
Travel, but make sure you do your research before you leave
Communicate with your husband or wife
Give your children wings and let them fly
Have a sense of humor
Try new things
Accept and get to know all kinds of people
Never Give Up
Smile and drink water