Grateful For Music Challenge Day 2: Feliz Día de los Muertos!

Feliz Día de los Muertos!

HAPPY "DAY OF THE DEAD"

Song: Remember Me

Artist: Mat & Savanna Shaw

Today is the official celebration of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead! And this year, there are many individuals I am remembering and celebrating (see yesterdays post).

I love the idea of celebrating our deceased loved ones in such a positive and celebratory way. It takes some of the sting and sadness away from their loss and helps focus on the individual as they were in life. "The day of the dead is truly a celebration of life" 💓(source: https://www.unm.edu/~htafoya/dayofthedead.html). One tradition associated with this holiday is setting up an ofrenda or tribute altar to the dearly departed loved ones. Ofrendas often include pictures of the deceased, flowers (specifically marigolds), candles and their favorite foods, drinks and other things that celebrates their lives and gave them joy while they were alive. Things that remind the living of their beloved family members who have passed. 

Although I love and respect this holiday, I know we live in a "sensitive" world these days and some people would accuse me of "appropriating" another cultures customs if I were to "celebrate" todays holiday. I'm not setting up any ofrendas or participating in rituals, painting my face, dressing up, dancing or doing anything like that, but I am using today to think about my loved ones who are no longer here. 

If I were to make an ofrenda dedicated to each of my recently departed angels, here are some things that would be included:

🤍Grandma: Homemade bread and strawberry jam, Cherry Swirls, pictures of her family, her published life history, figurines or pictures of Christ, picture of her husband, a signed basketball from her favorite sports team, homemade gifts and nick-knacks from her grandchildren.

🧡Grandpa: Golf clubs and balls, a Louis L'Amour book, a John Wayne western movie, pictures of his family and wife, orange sticks, Oreos, pancakes from Denny's, Cranberry juice, a picture of Christ, his and his wife's missionary plaque, his wedding album, a favorite cap.

🖤My Puppy Dog: His leash and collar, his favorite soft "gourmet" foods, turkey lunch meat, tortillas, chicken and rice, the sweet potato treats I made for his last birthday, his Kermit the frog plush, my fuzzy purple blanket that became his over the years, his two big beds, his grey sweater and winter coat. *I recently bought myself a necklace with my dog's name on it next to a charm shaped as a heart. 💛 This was one way I have been able to remember him all day.

💙My neighbors sweet Dog: Her dog food, Goldfish crackers, PB, her leash and the king size bed she loved to sleep on and under.

My eyes are filling up with tears as I reflect on these precious souls who I loved so dearly in life and miss so terribly. 😭 Thinking about their favorite things and the things we did together makes me happy and sad at the same time. I am so grateful and feel so blessed to have had shared and enjoyed such a close bond with my family and other loved ones who are now gone. They touched my life in so many ways and I'll never forget them. "Nobody truly dies unless they are forgotten" 💓🤍💗 (source: http://www.chiff.com/home_life/holiday/Dia-de-los-Muertos.htm)

I shared several songs from the Disney film Coco last year. I decided to share this sweet cover of the most touching song from the movie Remember Me in honor of Día de los Muertos and my loved ones. I will always remember them! 🤍🖤💙 Always, always, always! I eagerly await the day we will all be reunited again! I know it will be a joyful and tearful day; tears of joy and pure happiness instead of the bitter tears of pain and anguish that I shed now. 💔 When their bodies will be restored to perfection and they are no longer suffering from the pains and ailments they endured in this life. I love you all!!! 🤍🖤💙

Remember me

Though I have to say goodbye

Remember me

Don't let it make you cry

For even if I'm far away I hold you in my heart

I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart

Remember me

Though I have to travel far

Remember me

Each time you hear a sad guitar

Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be

Until you're in my arms again

Remember me

Feliz Día de los Muertos!

2022

May this day bring back fond memories of our loved ones now departed 😔😇

May we find JOY in the lives they lived and the times we spent together!

I KNOW I'll see each one of my loved ones again someday!!

I will always Remember each one of you

And hold every precious memory in my heart forever💛