Monday, May 12, 2025

Mariachi Music Wafting Over the Grasses & Stones...

"I hear Mariachi music in the cemetery..."

Sounds like a stray line from a forgotten Warren Zevon song. We spent part of Mother's Day 2025 at the cemetery communing with the beloved dead. We weren't alone. It was a celebration. Folks came out in force with lawn chairs, blankets, coolers. Families, primarily Mexican-Americans; the young, the old, the working middle-aged too. 

My partner and I we were there. Paying our respects to loved ones, long passed on. Silently meditating. Sitting under our favorite tree. It was a gorgeous, blue-sky day. All was greenery & light. There was a joyous vibe in the air. Yes. A Mariachi band entertained us all. Horns, guitars, violins, drums. They were decked out in black & gold suits, with hats & boots.

The music was sublime. The male voices singing songs that sounded like history. We didn't know what the songs were about, but the vibe was joy, beauty, & soul. It was surprising. Stunning. A total celebration. The Living & the Dead together. Families. Generations. A long line of human beings in touch with, and honoring, their Ancestors.

It was extraordinary. Beautiful. Set the vibe for the rest of the day. Yes. Magnificent. Real & surreal too. Reminded us of the real America that we love; inclusive, joyous, generous, diverse. So much better than the current soul-less, cruel, mind-numbing, bullshit, Nazi-version.