...light the way...

For as long as I can remember, my family has this ritual ( I'm not sure if that is the correct word to call it) of lighting candles on our doorway on the eve of All Souls' Day. Supposedly, it is during that night that souls of relatives dead a long time ago would come to the house and pays the family a visit. Since the night is dark and all, the lighted candles will show them the way.

I remembered how my grandmother would tell us stories about our grandfather and other relatives, all dead. She told us that when they come to the house and would see not even a single lighted candle, it would mean that we already forgot about them. And they would get mad at us. At that time, I used to get scared and when I lie on the bed and started to close my eyes, images of ghostly shapes would torment me for hours, until finally, sleep sets in.

the lone candle

I was able to go home this weekend to visit my folks. By Sunday evening, we lighted candles on our doorway. We would not want the risk of having angry souls of dead relatives, visiting us that night. This time, my grandmother was not there anymore. She has been dead for over six years already.

By the time, I went to bed, I was no longer afraid. I mean, I am almost 33 years old, for crying out loud. Ghost stories, whether fiction or non-fiction, does not appeal to me. Still, when I close my eyes to sleep, the only image I want to see, is that of my grandmother and father, hand in hand, as they made their way to the house, that night. And I'm pretty sure, they were not disappointed.