Sweet Relief



My absolute favorite moment of the entire year is the minute I lock the front door after the trick-or-treaters are gone on Halloween. The second that job is done, Halloween comes down, the turkeys and cornucopias come out, and as far as I'm concerned, the most wonderful time of the year with friends and family and love begins.

 

I don't love Halloween. I don't hate it, but it is not my favorite time of year. I do love decorating for it...and I'll admit I love the cutesy and clever side of Halloween much more that I like any of the ghoulish, macabre sides of it. As I work at an elementary school, I get a kick out of the children dressing up for our parade, and how excited they get to show me their costumes. I'm amazed at the creativity and resourcefulness that some of these kids and parents have to dream up and then make such fantastical things. It's fun to watch. I don't mind answering my door and handing out candy. I like to share. I've never liked the idea of tricks on Halloween. It doesn't sit well with me. But aside from all that, it just isn't a holiday I love.

 

My daughter Cassie, on the other hand, LOVES Halloween. When I asked her why she said because it's a whole day when you can be anyone in the world.  I thought a lot about that. For her, and on that day, what a great concept to be anyone you want to be. But I also thought, well, isn't that what life is? To be who we want to be. I mean, to break it down, if I want to be a kind person, it's entirely up to me. Even if I am surrounded by mean and petty people, I can still be kind and choose how to react to them. If I want to be a guitarist, I need to be willing to sit down , figure out how to make my instrument sing, and practice with all that is in me. Meghan wanted to be a pirate...and she was a gorgeous one!

Pretty Pirate Meghan

 

Cassie as Cruella

 

Gorgeous sisters in crime!

Some things take time and practice and learning to become. But the option to become who you want to be is ever present and even then, changeable. That's inspiring to me. Cassie might be inspiring dressed as Cruella, but in less than a year she will become a great man's wife.

We can be who we want to be and then guess what? You can change your mind. Now it may take work or adjustment but it can be done. What a gift.