Monday, October 31, 2011

i love halloween!

no, i don't love the drama of the last minute costume changes.
no, i don't love the increase of horror movie commercials on TV.
no, i don't love my son having nightmares about spiders.
no, i am not crazy about haunted houses, and the glorification of death, blood, and violence.

but i DO love the idea of communities opening their doors to complete strangers one night a year. and after opening their doors they offer a treat. a treat they have invested money in for a COMPLETE stranger. i mean for real, how cool is that?

we proudly trick-or-treat around here. we proudly invest time and energy into our costumes. and then we FULLY embrace our time walking around our neighborhood, i don't know investing, in our NEIGHBORS!

we will not be found at a trunk or treat party tonight, a fall festival, or a reformation party (*loud gasp from my baptist and presbyterian friends!).. we will be in our neighborhood engaging complete strangers, ringing their door bells, introducing ourselves, letting people oooh- and aahhh over our cat, cheerleader, princess, and peter pan (disclaimer: all costumes could be changed by 5pm tonight :) looking people in the eyes, giving them a smile and a thank you, letting our tone convey, "we appreciate this small treat", and "a have a good evening!" who knows it could be the first kind words they have heard all day, all week, all month.

i love hearing the crunching leaves, feeling the cool breeze, the sound of laughter floating through the air, the cool pumpkins carved with care, the fun creative costumes, and maybe, just maybe a sweet treat!!

everyone always talks about world peace, mother teresa, and changing the world... what better opportunity when people willingly, expectantly, eagerly, OPEN THEIR DOORS to complete strangers... go spread some treats in your neighborhood tonight!

~s

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