Remembering the ones who went before us

Today 4 of us went to Uxmal to scatter some ashes of one who went before us, influenced us and contributed to the richness of the world - Dr Larry Mills, my Mayan Art  and Architecture professor when I studied in Merida in 1973.  His enthusiasm and deep respect for the Maya seeped into my consciousness and that of many of his students. 

On the way to Uxmal, we stopped in Muna, the closest town to Uxmal and the town where Juan Vazquez grew up. to buy some oranges.  We always ate oranges when we went to an archeological site  with Dr Mills.  The water wasn't necessarily safe to drink and oranges quenched our thirst and were easy to transport.  In Muna, we ran into Elsa Lara who studied at Central College in the 1970's and now runs the Pemex gas station in Muna that her family has owned since before I started going to Muna.  It was fun to remember other Yucatecans from that era. 

We figured that probably the first time Dr Mills went to Uxmal was in 1954.  The year I was born.  The last time he was there was probably about 2008.  Today there were big puffy white clouds, a gentle breeze and scattered showers that always seemed to be where we weren't.  There were very few people there in the late afternoon so it was quiet and we shared the site with the iguanas sunning themselves in the doorways.  We talked about how much had been restored since our first visits to Uxmal.  How we would climb the Pyramid of the Dwarf, feel the wind on our faces and take in the view.

We walked to the cementerio portion of the site, ate our oranges, climbed to the small structure and each scattered some ashes. 

We walked across the site to the area of the old woman and scattered the remaining ashes. 

After returning to Merida, we enjoyed a leisurely meal at the Perigrino where we had shared many special meals with Dr Mills, Harriet, the Wellers and others.  An appropriate end to a precious day.  Relationships are so important!  Remembering the ones who came before us is part of the Latin culture and we felt privileged to have had the opportunity to know Larry Mills and remember him today.  I think he would have been happy that we came together to remember and enjoy a day at the ruins.