evokativity

2 November 2012

Halloween, October 31, is All Hallow’s Eve. It’s followed by All Saints’ Day, on November 1. That was the Catholic solution for all the saints who did not have a feast day in their honor, and a way to memorialize all saints, feted or not. Again the Catholics in history followed with a third day, All Souls Day, on November 2. That pretty much covers the spectrum of the dead: saints, sinners, those to be sent to purgatory, the innocent babies, the bloodthirsty warriors…

For me, November 2, All Souls Day, is a day of remembrance of those lost long ago and not so long ago. Today, the sun was shining, two important bills were paid, paperwork was collected from the courthouse, and a one-mile walk taken along the shoreline across from the courthouse. On the way back, it only seemed right to stop at the Little Star: Estrallita. There we paid homage to George and Dottie, with a shot of reposada and chaser of sangrita. George would have enjoyed that; and Dottie, too.

Both of these people passed in this last year. We’ve lost many in the last three years. Next year, we promised over a plate of chilaquiles to build an altar along the lines of the Columbarium, to pay tribute to those we lost more recently. Of course, this gives us time to collect the appropriate tributes; I don’t think they’ll mind waiting. In fact, I imagine they would be delighted to know this.

May your memories of those who’ve passed be happy ones that sustain you in times of need, and bring you comfort in the future.