Day of the Dead
It's been a couple of years since my father died -- and that's really weird to say, even after all this time -- and I think I'm going to make a Day of the Dead altar for him. I've thought about it each October, but I haven't been ready until now.
So, I've been thinking about the things that, to me, represent my father. Some of them are easy, like golf balls for his little golf habit and branches and leaves for his love of the forest, but others are a little more difficult to manage. For example, the scent of gasoline and grass, which brings to mind Saturday afternoons when he'd cut the grass and then come sit inside to watch whatever sport was in season, without taking a shower. Funny how much that scent brings him to mind.
There are other things of course: watching Willy Wonka early in the morning, all of the plays we were in together, singing Bohemian Rhapsody (off the Wayne's World cd!) over and over...
I'm vaguely hesitant about mentioning it to my mother -- none of us really ever talk about the fact that Dad is dead, except on rare occasions. Even now, we're all in denial. But regardless, I have good feelings about this. Well, sad and good, if that's possible.
So, I've been thinking about the things that, to me, represent my father. Some of them are easy, like golf balls for his little golf habit and branches and leaves for his love of the forest, but others are a little more difficult to manage. For example, the scent of gasoline and grass, which brings to mind Saturday afternoons when he'd cut the grass and then come sit inside to watch whatever sport was in season, without taking a shower. Funny how much that scent brings him to mind.
There are other things of course: watching Willy Wonka early in the morning, all of the plays we were in together, singing Bohemian Rhapsody (off the Wayne's World cd!) over and over...
I'm vaguely hesitant about mentioning it to my mother -- none of us really ever talk about the fact that Dad is dead, except on rare occasions. Even now, we're all in denial. But regardless, I have good feelings about this. Well, sad and good, if that's possible.