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The purpose of "Watchfires" is severalfold -- not only to salute our dead of the War but also to acknowledge the living power they still have to touch us in so many ways. Their examples of courage, honor, and sacrifice set a standard for those who survived them; and our memories of them add strength and depth to our lives.
Watchfires also serves to acknowledge the powerful spiritual event that the Vietnam War was. Whatever one's personal spiritual beliefs may be, Vietnam touched that in some way and touched this Nation where it lived, as well.
Watchfires go way back in history. Watchfires have been lit to establish a perimeter in military times, as a beacon for stragglers and the lost, and to guide ships to the homeward shore. The connection of this idea to the above Vietnam commemoration was to establish one night a year on which to light a fire -- a bonfire, if one can do that where one is or a fire in an outdoor grill or in a fireplace or even just a candle, if that is all that is workable.
The night selected for this purpose is November 1st (annually). November 1, in both ancient and some modern calendars (for example: the Catholic Church calendar), is the evening following All Saints Day. In ancient times, it was believed that the souls of the departed on that night were enabled to come close to us, the living, that the "veil between" was the thinnest then.
In ancient practice, people lit bonfires to "light the way" so that the spirits of their passed-on family and friends would know they were being welcomed. And the burning of the fire signalled a time of communion, an acknowledgement of gifts given and received between the dead and the living.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mary Garvey has put together a Web Site for "WF" at:
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