Día de los Muertos

The day of the dead (Dia de los Muertos) is actually tomorrow, but since Halloween is today I'll act like the typical gringo and mix the two up, a little.

These three days, Halloween, Dia de los Muertos (also All Saints Day) and All Souls Day, are days to celebrate, make merry and take part in good food, good drink and good company.
Halloween is a great way to celebrate, especially if its really made into a family thing. But its not just all about costumes and candy.
Remember those who have gone before, remember those who made possible for us, and celebrate them - their lives, and the journey they took beyond these lives.

People are so damn funny about death.
People are afraid of death, they are afraid of dying - They fear their loved ones dying, they cannot see beyond the shell and when it dies, they are lost without that person to see, touch, talk with. Because no-one likes that feeling, losing someone, many people come to fear death and dying. They fear their own death, they dont want to be sick, they dont want to be old, they look at what they have done, or not done, and are dissapointed, they look at their shit (possessions) and dont want to be without it.
We have developed a culture that regards death as an unnatural thing, and fights it tirelessly, wasting so much energy against it. When someone dies, even naturally, it becomes a tragedy for most people. Death is evil given form - a thing to be feared, reviled, and attacked.
Personally, I find this very sad. Maybe thats why I love it that there are cultures who celebrate death, and the dead.

Life has one guarantee, and only one - Death. Some day you will die. I will die. The people we love will die. We all die. Death is not the end. Death is not a bad thing. It is the first step on another journey.
We celebrate Birth, the other essential element of life (the balance, the yin to the yang) - Why not celebrate Death?

Two Essentials - Birth and Death - One Guarantee. What you do between, thats up to you. Do it well.