Today 1st of November is El dia de todos Los Santos (All Saints Day) in Spain, also known as El dia de Los Muertos in Mexico and other many countries in South America. Both of them are ancient traditions coming from hundreds of years ago.
In Spain, today is the day when people go to the cemeteries and place some flowers on the graves of their loved ones. It is a day for honouring the dead and for remembering the good moments shared with them. All that may bring some sadness and sorrow, so that is why they also buy some traditional sweets this day from the local bakeries so they can feel the positive vibrations through its softness. The lovely huesos de Santo and other marzipan-made sweets are among the most popular and delicious ones. The bunyuelos de viento are another pastry-made sweet, a traditional delicacy very often made at home.
While the Spanish tradition seems a bit sad and not so much exciting, the Mexican Dia de Los Muertos has a more positive approach. They spend two days celebrating this tradition by visiting the graves and bringing along some flowers, decorations, funny rimes and even some home-made pastries for their passed loved ones. It’s more a global ceremony where everybody shares the happiness of being alive while remembering lovely moments from the past.
See, while most of the people think death is something negative, sad and pretty scary, I must confess am more prone to the Mexican celebration. To me, death is just the end of that long road called life. And yet, that does not mean that death is the end of our existence.
Furthermore, why is there a special day for remembering the dead? I think the dead should be in our mind at any time as that is the only way to keep them alive - within our heart and our memory.
I have some lovely memories of happy moments next to my grandma. She was called Brigida, a charming person indeed. She died several years ago, but for me, people do not die as long as you still remember them. You will not see them again, and you probably will not be able to talk to them ever again. And yet, that will not stop you from dreaming or connecting with them at any given time. No matter how far you are from your people, if they are dead or alive, past and present collide and lose their meaning. At any time you can connect with anybody you wish, as long as you believe in that direct link you always have with your people.
The best memory I have from my grandma is that moment when I was around 9 when she was coming to our place, very early in the morning every single day during the week to bring some groceries to my mum. Sundays were for me the worst day and, by Sunday afternoon, I was feeling depressed as I couldn’t take out of my mind the fact that the fun and free time of the weekend was ending soon and the next day it was school day again. As you can guess by now, I never liked going to school. But then, while still feeling down, thinking about that traditional grandma’s morning visit could always bring me great happiness, immediately lifting my mood.
So the scene was like this: I would be still hopelessly lying on my bed around 8 am and then she would bring her face around the corner of the door frame of my room, looking at me while making some funny faces until I would burst into laugher. That made my day every time.
I also remember my first day at school. My grandma took me there and, since we came too early, she stayed there supporting me until that horrible bell rang. I was so nervous that I had to go to the toilet two or three times while we were waiting at the school patio. I cannot imagine myself in that situation without her next to me.
A few years before she died, dementia took over her mind and step by step, her funny and charming personality left her day by day, little by little, in front of our eyes. But, like I always say about any given experience, you should always try to remember the happy moments of the whole thing.
My grandma is a lovely person and, while I miss her not only today 1st of November but much more often than once a year, I know she will be next to me as long as I can remember her as her place within my heart was taken from the very first time we met.
Va por ti yayis! 😘
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