Black Cats and a Full Moon are
a natural part of Halloween night.
But this little Kitty's in for a big surprise!

Halloween... tricks 'n' treats? Costumes and candy!

In the US store shelves are stuffed with plastic pumpkins and bags of treats by early September. Kids are already planning what they will be for Halloween. Parents are faced with the age old questions of safety, security, and celebration.

When our children were small, these questions were the same. The differences? Our children might choose to be kittens or clowns rather than vampires or ghouls. We decided which family in our neighborhood would offer the best treats and we didn't have to worry quite so much about the bags of candy containing some form of deadly "trick". I grow nostalgic reminiscing over those sweeter, more gentle times. I close my eyes and vividly recall Halloween in 1953.

I remember the Teddy Bear who protected me on that night so long ago... the same Teddy, costumed in tulle and pompoms who 20 years later would protect my own small son as he crossed the stage to accept a Best Costume award for three year-olds at our community's "Safe" Halloween Party... nearly forty years ago.

October days grow shorter and autumn steals softly toward winter. In the silent hour before daylight I accompany Li Ping on her walk along the creek bank. A shoulder deep mist swirls through the meadow, the sky is brilliant with a million stars and the harvest moon wanes away, taking my favorite season with it. As the sun slowly pushes a peach and lavender sky above the rim of the hills, I am reminded how fleeting such wonders can be. The tragedy of taking life's treasures for granted is reinforced by petals of yesterday's roses scattered among the fallen leaves. I stop to gather a few petals, thinking each should be pressed in my journal pages as a reminder - Time flies...

I remind myself to treat each day as a gift, wrapping it in laughter and joy; to treasure the people who mean the most to me. Relationships can evaporate as swiftly as the mist. This October I shall capture my imagination and send it down the sunshine path. I shall not follow it into the dark woods. This October I promise myself more time to see the world around me through the eyes of a child. And I shall remember to HUG my Teddy Bear.

Do You know what's inside a Happy Halloween Box???

Why... A Surprise! Of Course.

A happy little Halloween
Jack-in-the-Box!