Dia De Los Muertos

[Teresa]

We are building a box together, to celebrate the dead.  My seven year old chose my mother to honor in this Spanish class project, her grandmother gone for twenty-eight years now. 

 

The project asks that we display the things my mother loved, a picture of her, a votive candle, some bread, cut paper, a short biography that won't mention anything but G-Rated details. 

 

Beverly Rogene "Shorty" loved to write poetry and take in stray people, to pray, sing, laugh, and eat an occasional Butterfinger candy bar; she loved to reach out, to sponsor other alcoholics, to speak to groups about recovery and addiction.  She loved dogs, seafood, John Denver and Foreigner, green, God and me.  These things are hard to show, except for this, the opening page of a book she gave me of her poems:

 

 

[Cita]

Again, may I say.... I can't wait for this memoir... to hold it in my hands... to drink a toast to you, T.

[Kristine_ES]

one of the very best things i've read (with regard to relatives) in a long time.

*really* likes this one, and i hope it gets its own chapter in the memoir.  this is the light (i don't know about anybody else, but) i needed to see from this part of your world. thank you.

[Michael Brown]

You know.

[Stephen Torelli]

I see it is very personal in your school's community, something we've lost over the years. Sentimental.

[Diana E. Backhouse]

Teresa, you've shown us so much about your mother in so few words. That, too, is one of my favourite prayers.Those are such wise words, but I'm afraid that I still don't find it at all easy to accept those things that I cannot change.

[Angela]

That prayer unites a lot of folks in a very special way.  Thanks once again for sharing with us on such a personal level.

[Jamie Hogan]

Been trying to write a comment about this for several minutes. Can't come up with anything that seems to say what I want. It makes me think about my kids, how I think I'm helping them with stuff but really they are healing something in me that I never knew was hurt. It makes me think about how great my parents are and how I take that for granted and should be punched in the face for it. It makes me think about how I want to be remembered. It makes me think I'll favorite it.

[Gita]

Along with the votive candle and photo, why bread, I wonder?

Egyptians were entombed with bread and beer to sustain them in the afterlife. They thought the soul needed a lunch. I find this interesting.

At what age do we tell children the truth about their grandparents? As always with your sixes, you open up the question box in my head.

[Toby Tucker Hecht]

She had a young girl handwriting.  She must have been something.

[Bill Floyd]

A+.