Monday, April 4, 2011

Spring cleaning and our Ancestors

After a beautiful weekend, filled with lots of walks, time spent with my little family, and some creative mess making, today is all dreary and rainy. But as they say "April showers brings May flowers". So I can't complain too much about the rain. At least it isn't snow!

I am taking advantage of not being outside and focusing on a bit of Spring cleaning inside. Mainly downstairs where we spend most of our time. My poor bedroom seems to have been neglected a bit with all my creative mess making. So today is going to be a primarily cleaning and organizing type day. 

But that's not the only thing that's going to happen. I read an article over at The Pagan Household that struck a cord. Today's article was about forgetting our Ancestors. Even if you aren't Pagan, remembering our loved ones both past and present is still very important.

How often have we celebrated our Ancestors on Samhain and only give them a glance thought the rest of the year? I know I have been guilty of this a few times in the past, but I try very hard to think about them on a regular basis. Hubby and I have even started putting together our family trees because we feel it's important for our family to know where and who they came from.

I've been wanting to create an Ancestor altar for quite some time. Hubby and I have talked about where a good place to put one would be. And it has been agreed that a good place would be on the mantel above the heater downstairs. Of course, there is no mantel yet until we get a new stove downstairs. But why is that stopping me from creating one, even a temporary one? 

Reading that article was just the icing on the cake since I had already been thinking of ways to honor my Ancestors. It's a gentle reminder to stop thinking and start acting.

So today I am going to give my grandmother a call to say hello and to chat with her. I will also be constructing some sort of temporary place of honor for all my loved ones who have passed. 

What are you going to do to remember your Ancestors on a daily basis?


signature

3 comments:

  1. Very interesting idea. I don't have the room to even set up barely a temporary altar right now, but will definitely keep this in mind for something. I had my mom print off some pics from around their house for me a while ago, including ones of my deceased grandparents, I will have to try and find a way to get her to scan more of the family photos of everyone and e-mail them to me, since I have some photo paper kicking around and design something, even just getting a wooden frame and decorating it for them to be in.
    Hope you got your cleaning done up! It's cold and dreary and now our yard is a swamp, pushing back my flower garden plans more -_-

    ReplyDelete
  2. You could even get one of those shadowbox type frames and add things to the inside of the frame as well as the photo like a broach or necklace, handkerchief or tie too. Or maybe add a small wall shelf below the pictures for a votive candle or something. We're limited on space too so you're idea with the photo frames is a great one! I might just have to borrow that idea =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ohh, I like that! I have some of my grandmother's old rings and broaches and such out at my mom's. I also have her wedding band I hope to use myself, although it's so thin I'm afraid of having it sized down...Anywhoo though, sounds perfect! haha you're more than welcome to 'borrow' any idea :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...