I do not like this day. Not because of the day itself but because of people’s attitude towards it, which completely destroys the original purpose of this public holiday. And year by year the situation seems to be more and more disappointing. Nowadays November 1 is nothing more than an average day on which people pay a quick visit to the cemetery to light some candles because this is what they feel is expected from them by the society.
No matter how hard I tried, I could not help seeing and hearing what people were doing among the tombs today. Some were chatting as if they had been in a pub. Others were smoking cigarettes beside a grave. Children were shouting, which only their parents seemed not to notice. I also heard a young woman burst out laughing. A middle-aged man was heavily and loudly criticizing the political system. Old women were complaining to each about their health.
The candles were burning silently in the meatime, as if they wanted to show that they had resigned themselves to the situation...
No matter how hard I tried, I could not help seeing and hearing what people were doing among the tombs today. Some were chatting as if they had been in a pub. Others were smoking cigarettes beside a grave. Children were shouting, which only their parents seemed not to notice. I also heard a young woman burst out laughing. A middle-aged man was heavily and loudly criticizing the political system. Old women were complaining to each about their health.
The candles were burning silently in the meatime, as if they wanted to show that they had resigned themselves to the situation...
For a couple of more days at the beginning of November some newspaper articles about cemetery thefts remind us that there was a Day of the Dead, but afterwards it is completely forgotten, as if it had not happened at all. The stumps of the candles sooner or later end up in the dustbin, and the last traces of the holiday vanish into nothingness.
Sometimes I ask myself the question why this holiday is needed at all. Commemorating and praying for the loved ones we have lost is something we can and should do during the whole year if we really loved those people. No holiday is needed to keep our loved ones in our heart forever.
I really see no reason for this comedy and I do not think I ever will.
Sometimes I ask myself the question why this holiday is needed at all. Commemorating and praying for the loved ones we have lost is something we can and should do during the whole year if we really loved those people. No holiday is needed to keep our loved ones in our heart forever.
I really see no reason for this comedy and I do not think I ever will.
I agree with you that to remember to our loved ones we don't need national holidays for it. Concerning the people you mentioned, you should not care so much about others' attitude...It is really sad, but better to ignore it..
ReplyDelete