On Halloween and Undas

Today is the last day of October. I am sure many are busy dressing up for the Halloween parties or are excited to go trick or treating. But I am not one of them. Where I grew up, Halloween is not celebrated in a grand and special way. I never really liked it because it only scares me to death! I don't enjoy watching those scary movies or ghost stories aired on local tv. And I just don't see why it is such a big deal for most people.

What I do look forward to is November 1st and 2nd where we celebrate Undas or Kalag-Kalag, the Filipinos' way of remembering the dead. Going to the cemetery has already become a family tradition for us. We would gather at the cemetery usually on the 2nd of November, All Souls' Day in the Philippine calendar, bring some food to share, say the rosary and novena for the dead, and eat as one family to celebrate life. It is a time of reminiscing the good old days when our dear departed still walked the earth. It is a great venue to see distant relatives again. I so miss it! It has been three years since I celebrated kalag-kalag with my family back home.

I guess all I can do here is say a prayer for the souls of our dear departed and light candles for them, hoping that that light will lead them to the Creator, the giver of eternal life.

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