De Los Muertos
The idea of a holiday that involved sugar skulls and graveyards used to make me very uncomfortable. But, to most of my Spanish-speaking friends, Dia de Los Muertos, November 1st and 2nd, isn't about fear and darkness, but rather a special time to remember with warmth, those who we love who are no longer with us physically but are forever in our hearts. I think, regardless of who we are and when it's observed, there's something surprisingly healthy about setting aside a dedicated time to honor the memory of those who've gone before. And for me, the gentleness of the cooling air, the scent of apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice, and the rituals of the return of fall all play a part in triggering that time of remembrance for me. Both of my grandmas died in autumn, many years apart. I never met either of my grandfathers. But for our family, death is neither something far away, or something we haven't experienced recently. We haven't had the luxury of feeling invinci...