Day of the Living, Day of the Dead

It is November first, last night was Halloween. The time when all the scary creatures of the unknown come out to play. The unknown seems to be a terrible place for the minds of modern peoples to go.To appease those scary spirits we give them treats and turn away to the light bright comfort of home.It's really perfect that Halloween is a children's holiday cuse the truth is our children are of the unknown.No matter how we may try to direct them and mold them, support and demand of them they are who they are and will do what they will do.No matter how hard parents may try you can't "make" your children be what you want, we do not know how their life path will unfold. There it is , the unknown, living right there in your house with you.

In Mexico we have the ancient ceremony and celebration of Day of The Dead, dia de Los Muertos. That's a double unknown. First of all there's our world , the one we see, touch, taste etc..then there's the other world where all our deceased relatives have vanished to when they checked out of the "known" world of our everyday life.On Day of The Dead our relatives spirits are invited to come back for a visit and celebrate with the in a body members of the family. All the favorite foods, libations, smokes , pets, clothes , all of that is placed on a family alter to entice the spirits to come home for a visit.Such a cool ceremony to have in a body humans acknowledging that we don't know where we go from here but we do go somewhere that's largely unknown and it's possible that all of us can hang out together again.

I know those that have been close to me and passed on have never left my memory and in some ways are still alive in my stories and heart. They left the physical world but are still very much alive in the etheric world of my memory and emotion.I still talk to my Dad when I'm driving around the Ranch looking at the cattle and horses and often speak to my step Dad when I smoke a good cigar. Those were connections we shared and are still connections that live on with me. They are there, no doubt.

Today, November first is the Day for the children that have died. The families will gather at the Cemetery and lay out spreads of the little ones favorite things and remember them back to spend the time together. That Love doesn't die and so that love reconnects between the worlds to create one bridge through time.

November 2 is the day for the in body and out of body adults to share a day together. We have an alter on our front porch. Lupita, the 16 year old that helps baby sit Lola brought a beautiful picture of her Grand mother, her favorite Grand ma. Mee has her Mom's picture and I have some cigars for A.D. and will put a cold beer and some boiled shrimp out for my Dad.Our alter is lit up with candles and fresh flowers, pictures and pieces of the past that keep us connected through space and time. So for the next two days the living and the dead will be sharing hearts and memories separated only by the sense of touch.It's the love that makes the touch special anyway so love a little more and your really not missing anything at all.

The unknown is one of my closest companions these days. From the unknown I've made up my beliefs and stories of my known.In a lot of ways I am not comfortable when I'm surrounded by a world that's too familiar. The unknown is the realm of potential and possibility. The unknown is where creativity and God dwell, passing through us when we are open enough to allow the unknown a chance to move through us.Life is just too flat unless there's a pinch of fear to keep me on my toes and in the moment.I trust my choices today and not knowing is a life line to allowing that trust to live through me creating as we go. Not knowing makes the Day of the Dead a family reunion of magic and color.Maybe that old saying about the only thing to fear is fear itself fits better if you add the only thing to fear is living only for the known.....Saludos, Lee