This is a Mexican tradition that starts the day after Halloween and ends November 2nd. Halloween makes death a matter to be afraid of. But the folk celebration of El Dia de Los Muertos makes death something to celebrate and not to be fearful of. The celebration entails honoring our ancestors, and celebrate their life with happiness, at times inviting their souls to visit us.
Today I will be celebrating El Dia de Los Muertos with a twist. I don't need to wait for a specific holiday to remember and honor the souls and life of my ancestors as I remember them every day, and the impact they left in me is felt in the same manner. What I will celebrate today with joy is the passing of bad feelings, bad relationships, bad friends, bad jobs, old wounds, negativity, despair, hopelessness, betrayal, traumatic experiences, and all those feelings that accompanied them, because if we keep holding on to them they will hold us back like an anchor holds a boat at sea. Those feelings that contaminate our soul and spread to others like a wild fire. Yes, today I will celebrate their passing. I will not invite them back, but the imaginary altar that I will make is one that reflects the learning that resulted from experiencing those feelings, and the new feelings that emerged as a result, and they are peace, love, resilience, empathy, joy, patience, self-control, kindness, gentleness, strength, wisdom, etc. I will celebrate that the passing of those feelings wasn't in vain. I see the passing of my loved ones like a transformation, and the same way I see the passing of those feelings. They didn't only transformed themselves but transformed me into a different kind of being.
Celebrate El Dia de Los Muertos your own way, and always remember that life is a constant dead and revival.
Feliz Día de los Muertos!
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