Remembering Those That Have Passed

As October speedily arrives to a close and we find ourselves fully in the throes of fall—with Halloween decorations, an assortment of pumpkin-themed treats and colder weather—I’m reminded of my time living in Tucson, Arizona before moving to Boston. The weekend after Halloween in Tucson is a special time. Usually occurring on the second weekend of November, Tucson hosts an event called the All Souls Procession, which has been taking place for 36 years. This unique public art procession, gathering and ceremony was created in 1990 by a local Tucson artist to remember those who have been lost. The ceremony bears some similarities to the Latin American holiday and tradition, Día de los Muertos, in that both seek to remember those who have died.

When I first attended the All Souls Procession after moving to Tucson, I was struck by the shared public connection and the complexity of this act of remembrance. These kinds of rituals and traditions, while at times lively, are not exactly celebrations or parties nor are they entirely somber. The closest description might be “sweet sorrow,” as Dr. Sherry Cormier writes in her book of the same name about losing several close family members. At All Souls, people carry lighted signs with pictures of their departed loved ones. There is music, floats, costumes and silent witnesses all centered on remembering together. 

Grief and bereavement can have a profound impact on our psyche, especially when a loss is sudden or unexpected. Our experiences of grief are tied to the place and meaning our loved ones hold in our lives—to the nature of our relationships with them. Those relationships may have been complex or challenging, and within our grieving, we often revisit these layered and sometimes conflicting emotions connected to them. 

Talking about and being present with death is not easy, but the more intentionally we invite our grief and the memory of our loved ones into our current lives, the less isolating the experience of loss becomes. In the spirit of the All Souls Procession in Tucson, I invite you to remember your loved ones who have passed, in ways that feel appropriate and meaningful to you, and that you honor your unique experience of your relationship with them. 

---

Elissa McDavid is a second-year Clinical Master of Social Work student at Boston College, with a concentration in Mental Health. Elissa has a passion for providing trauma-informed, client-centered and anti-oppressive therapy. She approaches therapy with curiosity and collaboration. Before attending Boston College, she worked at a humanitarian aid organization in Arizona and provided services to immigrants, with a specific focus on serving survivors of violence and torture. 

Thank you for your interest in our Monday Mental Health Moment. Join our mailing list for a weekly newsletter on various mental health topics, and information about upcoming groups or workshops. We promise no spam!