Halloween is about remembering and seeking wisdom in what has gone before.
Steeped in legends and ghost stories, Halloween is the day we face the specter of regrets and losses that continue to haunt us. The summer is past; there are only two months left in the year, each day is shorter than the last.
It is the eve of All Hallows, the Day of the Dead, when we remember those who continue to influence and inspire us in spirit. The bonfires of Halloween’s Celtic roots are reflected in the candles lit inside our jack o’lanterns.
I remember my own Halloweens. The year of a hayride under a full moon and the party in a barn. The year I saw Nosferatu accompanied live on a pipe organ. I remember the people and places that have been part of all of them.
As the days become darker and autumn closes in around us, we pull the comforter around us more tightly.
Halloween reminds us that, while we may be haunted by regrets, we are also covered with a quilt of inspiration. We are inspired by the book we read or the person we met. We are inspired by the person who created that picture, or wrote that song. We remember the person who would always listen, the people we knew cared about us. We draw strength from the person who believed in us, even if that person were ourselves.
We learn about the challenges and trials of other people, and their struggles light a spark for us in our own. Their flame lights our jack o’lantern.
Halloween reminds us that life shines in the darkness. We remember, and spread its glow.
What will you remember this Halloween?
Where do you draw inspiration to grow and develop for next Halloween?
[Image by NCinDC]
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In