This was the day. The big day we had waited for, Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). We were able to set up an altar and everything looked great. The altar had ten different family members on there. My great great great grandpa Papa Musio, his wife (Mamma Victoria), my great aunt Annabelle, and my cousin George, to name a few. My great grandmother was also on there in a picture with my grandmother and mother and I. There was Muerto bread and candy all around. It held also fruit and flowers, and was adorned in tapestries. There was one picture that I was able to put up myself. Although I have not had any immediate family members pass away, when I was younger I had a dear friend that lost his life. He had a long hard battle with a disease that should have killed him when he was seventeen, just like it did his sister. He was about twenty-two when I met him. He was married to a friend of my mom's and he was my first crush. I was about five when I met him, but I loved him dearly. As I got older, he because he couldn't have his own children, my siblings and I became like his adopted ones. When I was seventeen he got really sick, and his disease put him in a coma for about a week. When I got the news I was terrified, I was hurt and I didn't know how to react. When I finally saw him in the hospital he couldn't respond, but he could hear me. I was in such shock I didn't really know what to say. I had to walk out of the room before anyone would see me cry. I lost it when I got the news he passed a few days later. I never got to say goodbye, that's what I regret the most. I never got over losing him, still hurts me now to think about it. So I put a picture of his on the mantle, the only one I have. Since he doesn't have any children, when his parents pass who will be there to remember him? If you haven't seen the movie COCO yet, you can't understand the importance of putting a picture on the altar. So for me, I know it's my job, as his adopted daughter, to remember him. I miss him dearly, but he will always be apart of me and my family, and my future children. After we set up the altar, my mom and grandmother wanted to get out of the house for a bit and we decided to walk around the town, like we normally do. We walked and talked, and enjoyed the fresh air. It was a nice time. As we walked we found a taco stand and got some tacos, juice and chips. I felt like a child drinking from a juice box but it was so good I didn't care. On our way back from our walk, we saw a whole line of kids walking past us to the stores all around the block. I was confused at first, but after asking one of the ladies holding a baby she said they were all orphans. The oprhanage worked with the local stores and was able to give out candy to the children teh day after halloween and let them have a little holiday fun. It broke our hearts, and I wanted to take them all. The amount of little babies that were there too was so sad, I couldnt help but feel for them. On our way home we walked and talked some more, and even had some fried banana as a little treat. We went home and watched the Dodger game, it was sad to see them lose, but it was okay. We watched the game as we got ready for the night festivities. This was where we would go to the square and there would be live music and performances and displays for the day of the dead. Everyone would dress up and walk around and get food and just be together. My younger brother had his painted professionally, but my mother and I did our own makeup, and it didn't turn out half bad. We spent the night walking around, eating and just enjoying the time. It was a great way to end the first night.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorReggie is a college gradute with a degree in English. She loves traveling and hopes to one day stay on the battle field for missions. Life is a book and everyday is an adventure, follow her on this journey and see the world through her eyes. Archives
November 2017
Categories |