I know that I’m late with this, Dia de los Muertos was celebrated October 31st through November 2nd. But I still think it’s relevant for the holidays coming up. The day of the dead is a celebration and holiday in which friends and family gather to remember the ones who have died. The movie Coco is about this traditional holiday, in which the message is conveyed that family is everything and it’s important to remember those who have passed on.
As Thanksgiving is coming up we start thinking about the pilgrims who came to America and of all the blessings we have because of it. With Christmas we think of Christ, a man who has taught and given us more than we can imagine. These holidays are about remembering those who lived on the earth before us and have given us a lot. Remembering them is one way to show our gratitude. But another is to emulate the good we learn from them.
My grandpa has been gone for about three years now, and would’ve been turning 100 this weekend. It’s always hard to think about people who are gone, but the greatest we can do for them is still remember and learn from them. My grandpa left a legacy and example for me. My patriotism is largely from him. He served in World War II and the sparse times he was able to share a little of his experiences, I learned an enormous amount about the love he has for his country and what a blessing it is for me to be here to enjoy it’s freedoms. I’ve learned from him about service, healthy relationships, the joy of the mountains, and about having faith.
I’ve spent some time learning about my family history, and I’m inspired even by those I never knew. There are people who have had a greater impact on you than you’ll ever know, but you can at least learn and remember a little bit. I have an ancestor that shares my middle name who has inspired me through the stories of her life. Even discovering that there was french royalty in some far distant branch of my family tree has made me feel a little more excited about life.
We all have roots, and it does us good to remember them periodically. We can be reminded of who we are, what we want to do, and what we can learn. We may even be inspired to do something new, to be different, or to be better at what we already are.
