For some November 1st is La Dia de los Muertos, for folks in the Philippines it’s All Saint’s Day--different names but the same day that commemorates the dead, the souls, the spirits.
Yesterday, I accompanied my mom and grandma to Rosales, Pangasenan, their hometown province. My grandma wanted to visit my grandpa, who passed away more than 20 years ago, her only brother who passed away last year, and her nephew who passed away two months ago---all whom are buried in the same cemetery. Here in the Philippines, it’s a weekend celebration. Saturday is All Saints Day, and Sunday is All Souls Day. which is a big celebration where folks visit their family members who have passed, light candles, bring flowers, and sometimes sleep in the cemetery. There are vendors, a lot of food, and music---basically a party in the cemetery.
Everytime, my grandma visits her hometown, it’s always an emotional occasion. Her and her relatives hug for the first 20 minutes, and they catch up on who passed away, how they passed away, health, financial situations, memories, life….
I can’t even imagine what they are whispering about….
And Nanay got to also visit a cousin, Prosperro Bautista, she hasn’t seen in more than 20 years. It took him a couple of minutes to recall who my grandma was, but once he did, he pulled out the photo albums and the reminiscing began.
Time. My grandma’s cousin actually lives alone right now and has been for years. When we saw him, he was sitting on his front porch, next to a Christmas tree he decorated himself. He said his kids will be visiting in December, and he set up the tree early because it’s the one thing he really looks forward to.
It’s a trip how time can fly by so fast. I just turned 24 last week, and for me, birthdays are times for celebrations, but also reflections. I got to party it up with my friends, but I also did a lot of thinking of where I am now compared to where I was last year. This past year I traveled to a bunch of places, but I feel as if I am still in the same position. I have made moves, but I haven’t MADE MOVES. I’m a big dreamer, but I gotta stop dreaming, and get moving…. Make those dreams real.
Time flies. A whole year passed by with a blink of an eye. For my grandma and her cousin, I can't even imagine what the concept of time is to them...is time even relevant?
2 comments:
I that last picture in this blog. Amazing.
Hope all is well with you in the Philippines love.
Beautiful reflection on life Diana. I think it is so easy to get caught up in dreaming, but now that you know ... you can truly make a difference. You have control of your own life and that is one of the most powerful things to keep in mind. Hope you are having a great time in the Phillipines and I will see you when you return.
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