The Humility of Memory
One of our finest possessions is not something we buy.
It doesn’t come in a big box or from a store.
It’s not a thing of value, but yet it’s worth is infinite.
It is our memory.
As Día de los Muertos winds down, I propose that we make this the Month of the Dead. El Mes de los Muertos.
Why?
Because right now, we need our memories more than ever, and we especially need our memories of our personal pasts even more.
Why?
To preserve who we are, and for the posterity of this country, that is a tapestry of people, beliefs, and ideas.
At this moment more than ever, it is critical that we know where we came from and be proud of it, or ashamed of it, as warranted.
The simple act of knowing intimately well our respective heritages, of simultaneously honoring and apologizing for our ancestors is healing.
It brings our place in history into alignment with where we are going in the future.
If we ignore that, we simply bury the dead—not honor them.
Take the time to learn your place in time and history. Understand how your daily dramas are the manifestation of your people’s psychic energy, even decades and centuries later.
Do this for yourself. For your children. For our future. It is the most humbling act we can do in a time of uncertainty.
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