Plastic Pumpkins to Fill

There are many things to worry about when we mother- too many to count. We are mortal, the news and neighbors tell us we must beware, and maybe sometimes we should; we want to keep the ones we're mothering safe.

I remember vividly the warnings of my childhood Halloweens- razor blade candy bars, drug laced tattoos, don't let the cat out, stay in groups, the urban legend of the year... and like any good worrying mother, I now remind my children not to eat any candy that is opened or looks suspicious, and we talk about the amount that will be consumed, the dinner that must be eaten, the balance I hope, though know I won't secure. 

This weekend we walked through the McCormick's Creek campsites, collecting sugar treasures, pencils, and bouncy balls, and I remembered, as I do every year, why despite the worry (valid or not), the blood I drew dripping down my four year old's chin, images of death; despite the sugar crashes, constant begging from now until the new year for one more piece, the Red Dye #5 in everything, the GMOs, the who knows what toxins my son is breathing in with that mask on his face-

this tradition, one of the few where community still gathers in good spirit to ooh and ah at creativity and cuteness, to chat with strangers, give and receive willingly, and TRUST (because we can look at every piece, but we don't know), I will miss when my children decide they are too old to carry plastic pumpkins. 

Each witch we visit and graveyard we pass, I begin to put my worry away for another day. Surrounded by laughter, squeals, guesses of who is who, and admiration for the creatures and characters we walk amongst, I relax into the sugar I too must try. GMOs and dyes are ignored, blood is reapplied, and best of all we, friends and strangers, talk to each other, face to face. 

Smiles and story are abundant as we walk and walk way past when little legs would be tired, to find more, yes, candy, for them, but for me, I'm there to gather visions of what it looks like when we mortals put aside differences, let go of a little worry, and come together to smile.

~KGS