H is for Halloween

I walked into the library yesterday and stopped in my tracks because the library was filled with tiny costumed kids – babies in arms, toddlers, some “older” 3- and 4-year-olds. All were so cute my ovaries vibrated. Little bees and a rooster who could barely walk because his plush comb upset his sense of balance. Fairy wings. Butterfly wings. Round baby faces with feelers on headbands. It was too cute for school.

I know Halloween is coming and is almost here. We have our orange lights on the porch even though Len was deeply disappointed when we got them up to discover six out of fifteen lights are burned out. I hung the thrifted witch at the front door, set out the light-up pumpkin. Decorating done.  

Tomorrow we’re going to our son’s house to pass out treats to their trick or treaters while he and our daughter-in-law walk their kids around. I’m so excited that I bought four unrelated costume items at St. Vincent’s. One of us can wear a chicken headband with a fox tail and the other can wear two novelty hats at once. I already tried the Minnie Mouse hat and it’s so heavy it slips forward down to my glasses. I was never very good at costumes.

Halloween is a not a near-to-my-heart holiday. I love my kids and grands, that keeps us about as festive as we get.

But I do like to honor these holidays that grew out of our human wondering. We pondered our short lives. We worried about violence and disease and loss. We tried to gather the courage to love people whom we could lose so quickly in such trite or horrible ways.

Halloween, more than most, is a holiday that dares to taunt fate.

So tomorrow curse what is lost in your life. Lay a sticky trap to confound the fairies that twisted your happiness. Put peanut butter on a heavy dish outside your backdoor and see if you can catch the footprints of night thieves. 

Then look around at what you still have. Give candy to anyone you meet who will take it. Eat some yourself and be glad you’ve made it this far through this complicated year. Who knows what next week will bring. 

Halloween is for kids. Halloween is also for anyone who knows about tricks and loss and shaking your fist at fear with gumdrops and sugar and a weird hat.