In a few days our neighborhood will be filled with kids in costumes singing the litany "trick or treat" with their little bags begging for a candy treat. Many homes are decorated for this occasion in our area. We never really 'celebrated' Halloween when my boys were young as I had this idea it was the devil's holiday and besides, we did not keep candy nor soda in the house. They still dressed up and went to the school and park district parties and went around a few blocks collecting candy that I ended up bringing to the office. Now that they are grown I find they really enjoy my dressing up our home for the spirit of the day and I plant spiders and ghouls inconspicuously throughout their rooms. We tend to watch scary movies the few weeks prior because we like to feel scared sometimes. It has something to do with our glands and actually stimulates our sensuality. It is the fright or flight response from our nervous system responding to stimuli. It keeps us feeling and it doesn't have to be gory, just captivating and thrilling. Halloween was always the time we got to dress up as the character of something we always wanted to be or that will emit some sort of attention - the gorier the better, the bigger the better - anything and anyone currently famous and outrageous. Why do we say 'happy halloween' if we want to scare others (which is a form of bringing fear to another)?. Ironically, most people wear a mask every day of their lives; the phony smile of a person whose heart has been broken or those who demonstrate their religious beliefs and prayers only to be manipulative and speak unkindly about others; the picture perfect family with loads of skeletons in their closet. Perhaps we should use this day to remove our masks and be our genuine selves and if we don't like what we see, improve. Not only would this be a great trick, but a fantastic treat as well. xo
