All Souls Day

I think it befitting to be posting these images today which is All Souls Day if you are Catholic and Day of the Dead if you live in Mexico. I'm not that clever, really...I had taken these pictures a week ago and wanted to post them sooner, but life got too hectic and I didn't have the chance until now. And I just realized today's date (wow, November already). Michael Deming is in Oaxaca with his groups of students and I believe tonight they will be visiting the gravesites with his students and many of the townsfolk. I'd love to do that someday (be in Mexico somewhere on this day to witness the cultural eventthat unfolds annually). Anyway, Leighanna (click on her name here to see what she posted; she has three postings in one place) and I met up last week to go take pictures at this graveyard in Bernalillo, Our Lady of Sorrows. It is perhaps one of the 'happiest' graveyards I've ever been too. So much loving energy there; the families take care of the sites and as you can see, many are very well decorated. Some were decorated in a fall theme and a few were even decked out in the spirit of Halloween!

Some of the ornamentation takes my breath away; such as " Mother and Son" (Mary holding Jesus). That entire staturary scene is encased in a glass box that is squeaky clean! You can see the reflection of the white wrought iron fence in the glass.

The broken door and "alfalfa for sale" images are not from the graveyard, but from a nearby village that we started off at (Algodones).

Don't you just love the astro turf and the glass cross? Wow...and look at how is it devoid of any debris that may have been blown onto it. The Bratz doll is one of those happy/sad things. I don't remember what it said, but I'm assuming that the person buried there could not have been too old; heartbreaking. I didn't have the courage to read it as I know it would upset me.

This is a good day to stop and reflect upon those who have gone on before us. I celebrate the legacy that each have them have left for me and am grateful to have loved even if I've lost. It makes my life all the more meaningful!