31/10/2026
As most of you know, I’m from Guatemala, and November 1st is a day to remember those who are no longer physically with us. This day is about connection, community and celebration.
Families gather at the cemetery, and in a special town with enormous handmade Barriletes Gigantes. These kites are flown and made as a way of connecting with our ancestors, carrying messages, stories and ideas from the community. This tradition has been recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
And then there is "Fiambre", (one of my favourite meals!) a special dish prepared especially for this day and shared with family. Families gather, remember, share stories and spend time together.
Ram Dass once shared something about the death of his guru that has always stayed with me. He described how his guru hadn't really disappeared; he had simply changed form. His presence was still with him.
We keep people alive in the stories we tell, in the things they taught us, in the way they changed us and in the little things we still do because of them.
People may no longer be here physically, but the relationships, stories, traditions and pieces of them continue through us.
And maybe that's what we do when we remember someone.
Feliz DĂa de Todos los Santos!
