Halloween is a special time of the year for me. My first memory of Halloween is from when I was 4 years old; and my aunt decided to take Cain (my cousin), Joel, Ruthie, and me trick-or-treating. I was so excited because I was dressed as Casper the Friendly Ghost, with a Casper mask on my face and a bed sheet draped over my body. We jumped in the car, and my aunt said something that we didn't understand because we were so young. "Your grandmother has passed away." Then she started the car and off we went, in search of sweet candy goodness. We had a great time, and we came home with tons of loot; but there was a stillness about the house and everyone else in it. We would then find out that our grandmother died during that day.
Our grandmother, Leonor Perez Gracia, was my mom's mother; and she passed away on October 31, 1978, at 4:00 p.m. She died of heart failure, which is ironic because she had a wonderful heart. Although I didn't know her long, I knew her well. She used to help me hide when we would play hide-and-go-seek, picking all the best hiding spots. She used to let me eat her bananas, which she had to eat because of the medications she was taking; and she would never hesitate to allow me to devour the last banana. She taught me a lot of Spanish, mainly because she didn't speak any English; but I have some fond memories of that precious lady. Also, it seems the more I hear stories about my grandmother, the more I realize that she is exactly like my mother whom I adore.
On the day that my grandmother passed away, she did a noble thing for this four-year-old. Although she lay on her deathbed, she insisted that my mother buy costumes and take us out to have that great time. To this day, I never miss dressing up for Halloween; and I always take a moment to remember and respect the woman who was responsible for my very first memory of Halloween. In the Hispanic culture, El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead), is a time where people take two or three days to celebrate the memory of family members who have passed away. Most people celebrate November 1st and 2nd; however, I celebrate my Day of the Dead on Halloween night, because that's when it all started for me!
**** IN LOVING MEMORY OF LEONOR PEREZ GRACIA****
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