All Hallows Eve 


It has been far too long since I have been with dinosaurs and super heroes and gleaming dragons.  It has been far too long since I have been with any group of happy children— or their adults, who were having nearly as much fun. Community matters.  We can say it doesn’t, but it is hard to ignore the feeling that a night like tonight gives. God created us to thrive in community, and we have been like flowers with too little water and sunshine.


Our Hallowe’en neighborhood Trick or Treat granted us two hours on the front porch engaging with humans and dogs and, well  neighbors.  We have stayed in respectfully distant contact with those on either side of us, but tonight had my first feeling of almost pre-pandemic relief and joy.  


We are not there yet, I know.  And I am being as patient as I am able to be.  But because we were outside, and there was a crisp wind and encounters were less than 20 seconds, (albeit nearly 100 of them!) it felt safe to be at arms length.  


My funniest interchange was with an eleven-ish boy who actually bequeathed upon us a large Reese’s, wrapped cookie of some kind.  He wanted us to have something too.  Before I could even get out my surprised thanks, his comrade impishly removed it from our bowl.  “Sorry,” the pirate said merrily, with his eyes dancing.  (Clearly he was not sorry at all—he was, after all a  pirate.)   “At least you had it for a moment.”


Indeed, I did. 




Illustration Credit:


https://www.brightlines.co.uk/cultural-tips-for-business/halloween-around-world/


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