For the Passed Brides

You may be gone but you are far from forgotten.

On this Dia, I want to remember those two very special brides that are resting without their grooms... in some ways on better notes but on others far from it.

A long long time ago there were two brides here on this earth who graced the world with their beauty and magic.  Both of these brides loved their grooms dearly despite all the tragedies they encountered through their time together.

My sister loved her husband eternally. Sadly it was to her detriment as her husband returned her unconditional love in the most terrible way. He gets sentenced formally for this on the 30th.

My grandmother was also not without her own set of pain. On the final days before she was to go to rest, she would fight frequently with my grandfather.  I would learn in conversation that sadly she had experienced much that would not be talked about by other members of the family. She held dreadful memories of pain and hardship that even I dare not completely release at this time.  

The difference with my grandmother vs my sister is however that my grandmother and her groom eventually came to a peaceful resolution. My grandmother argued that she had decided to finally live and was very upset for things that had been done to her. It was at that time that I was able to break through and speak to her in a way that I don't know if anyone else could. I was there to take care of her those final days for a reason.  It had been my mission and commitment. 

There is a picture of the day after that final confrontation of her and my grandfather holding hands. It is one of my most treasured photographs of them in existence.

As you may have read yesterday, Halloween is a very precious holiday. Dia de los Muertos is also major with our heritage.  With the combination of those things and the untimely passing of my sister, it became even more important to pay tribute to both of them. But how to do it from all the way across the country with my current circumstances?

In my journey around I found myself at a Japanese market on the west side. A little shop that has curry would have two solar powered skeletons clad in formal wedding attire. They were the bride and the groom. It was perfect.

"Where did you get those? I absolutely need to get them both!"

The counter worker would reveal to me that she got them at a 99 cent store nearby. It would be an easy and cheap fix. I knew I was going to get myself a pair for me and for the both of them. But things didn't exactly work like that.

I went to several stores only to find the groom available. All the brides had been sold. Store after store after store throughout my drives would net the same result.

I thought of my sister's husband.

Of the piles of pictures I first found in my storage when she passed... of her wedding day to the man who would later murder her.

I thought of my grandfather next.

Of the happier memories.

I knew I needed to get him one and write him something special.

And so that's what I did.

I rushed to the post office on Thursday to get things out to him. I wrote him a note. I wrote him something very special that is explained in my post More Than Just a World Series.

To the brides that have passed and to those that you love and honor that have as well.... Feliz Dia De Los Muertos.

You are loved but your stories and lives have not been forgotten.

Dear sister.

Dear grandmother.

Dear loved brides without their grooms... for better or worse.