“On November 1st and 2nd, Hispanics all over the world will embrace death’s reality on Day of the Dead. While death is a topic largely avoided by many Americans”, says author Jana Baldridge Vargas of the book, “The Promise of Death, The Passion of Life”. “The active remembrance of deceased ancestors and loved ones is traditional among diverse cultures. Day of the Dead gives us an opportunity to examine our own thoughts about death and its reality in our daily lives.”

Famous actor and director Woody Allen said it best, “I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”

Allen exemplifies the typical American’s denial of what is inevitable – death. Why do Americans fear death so much while other cultures embrace it?