Reflections on Halloween

Halloween just isn't what it used to be. I'm sure that this is how many people felt when homemade treats fell from grace in favor of pre-packaged candy (and incidentally I think that most of those urban legends involving razor blades were started by the candy companies), but the fact that this assessment of this festive night of revelry has been shared by others before does not mitigate the accuracy of my viewpoint.

Some of it has to do with the absence of sidewalks in the neighborhoods of my town. Some of it has to do with the fact that for far too many people Halloween is synonymous with satanism, at least in this part of the world. And some of it may have to do with the fact that Halloween was on a Wednesday this year, and Wednesday is of course the second Sunday in the Bible Belt. But it is truly a sad state of events that Halloween is reduce to such pathetic dregs.

First of all, the concept of being in costume for trick or treating seems to be regarded as a suggestion, and not a mandate. Trick or treating itself seems to be regarded as a maybe activity. People just don't seem to have that fever pitch of excitement anymore. I clearly remember eagerly anticipating trick or treating each year, and how sad I was when I was too old to take part in that activity. It also seemed like a lot of homes didn't even bother with being there to dole out candy since the anticipated turn out is so low.

I love costumes, and in fact have come dressed up to work the last two years. This year, only my best friend Mockingbird was dressed up, and she had to tightly reign in her creativity because of her teaching commitments.

Additionally, most mischief that takes place these days is criminal, mean spirited, and/or violent in nature. This is probably what led to the deplorable practice of driving your kids door to door for trick or treating. Well, that and the absence of sidewalks. Neighborhoods need sidewalks people!

Nobody seems to have much Halloween spirit anymore (no pun intended). I mourn the passing of Halloween as I knew it on this, the Day of the Dead.

Glee manifests itself atypically

She smiled inwardly when he said it, a growing sense of satisfaction spreading throughout, warming her in a way that she was not fully accustomed to, as it was coupled with a wave of relief and no small amount of vindication. Rarely did "I told you" moments present themselves so beautifully, or without any angst of a decision gone wrong to spoil the moment. And here it was, laid out almost like a gift on the table that stood next to them, a moment that she had not allowed herself to believe would ever appear. But she did not say "I told you so." Instead she fixed her face into a sympathetic and reflective expression, nodded in support and made a non-committal noise before changing the course of the conversation. On the inside though...oh, on the inside, her soul danced a jig.