Today is Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos although I have been noticing that places in Mexico are officially celebrating Dia de los Muertos tomorrow.  Either way these days are full of remembering the dead.  The ones who have gone before us.  In the movie “Coco”  those who aren’t remembered any longer by their families disappear completely but if they are remembered this is the day of year where they get to return to see their families.  Their ofrendas are heard by loved ones. By the way, if you haven’t watched the movie “Coco” do yourself a favor and get on Netflix tonight and watch it.  (It’s on Netflix in Germany anyway).

I watched this amazing little video today too about Day of the Dead…

For those in Michoacán, Mexico, the butterflies come at the same time and perhaps could be loved ones coming to visit and love the flowers.  In this day, they bring love and light to the places their loved ones rest and it has become festive to remember.

For a number of summers I worked on Native American reservations with the organization Sierra Service project. My first summer I was on the McDermitt reservation on the border of Oregon and Nevada (yes a little corner is connected).  I connected with the medicine man on this rez and we still keep in contact.  I remember him telling me and the youth that we worked with that heaven to the Paiute people is in remembering their people.  Our people stay alive as remember them and if they were bad people we forget them, they aren’t talked about, and they aren’t kept alive.  They fade away.

This is how I want to remember the saints who have gone before me.  I want them to know that I remember them dearly.  I want to celebrate them, bring them light and beauty, and tell their stories. I want them to live in me.  I want to remember the good they held and gave away.  I want to pass on their goodness to the next generation.

So today I remember the saints who have gone before me. I will light a candle and hold them in my heart.  I will remember their stories and how they affected my life.  I will send them love and light in their afterlife journey, whatever that is and looks like.  I will hold true that they get to glimpse in our world every now and again to send us blessing too.

May you remember those who surround you and those who are saintly in your sight.