Love is the bridge

Día de los Muertos — the day when marigolds glow brighter, candles flicker a little stronger, and we remember that love doesn’t end… it simply changes form.

I first learned the real meaning of this holiday from someone who embodied it completely — my boyfriend, Paco. He was one of the most alive people I’ve ever known. Huge, toothy smile. Bright red dancing shoes. He shared a birthday with Elvis, and it definitely showed.

Paco was my salsa dancing partner — full of rhythm, laughter, and warmth. After he was killed in a car accident, I understood the holiday in a deeper way. Día de los Muertos isn’t about mourning — it’s about remembering that joy, love, and energy never die. They keep dancing.

Every year, I create an altar in his honor — photos, favorite treats, little treasures that carry memory and energy. Each piece is a whisper of connection: a thank you, a smile, a moment of I still feel you.

Because energy never disappears. It just shifts shape. The people we love are still present — in the way we laugh, the food we share, the songs that make us move.

So I celebrate Paco the only way that makes sense — with bright color, good food, and a little dancing in the kitchen. I also celebrate my Dad, who loved sports so much that he always wore the team jersey to games - just in case they needed to sub him in. And my beautiful friend Tarley, who was as close to a unicorn fairy as any human could be.

Their spirits are still dancing, still cheering, still here — just across the bridge.

Memory is the bridge — and the energy of loved ones never really leaves.