Gratitude Friday - October 30th, 2020
“Halloween is a celebration of the inversion of reality and a necessary Gothic hat-tip to the darker aspects of life, death and ourselves.” ― Stewart Stafford
Gratitude Friday on the eve of all hallows eve. Halloween has always been a favorite time for me. I think this quote catches some of the reasons. It is harvest time, and this had a lot of meaning to people in the past. The crops came in and people prepared for the hardness of winter and the uncertainty of survival. They embraced all it means to be alive in the space between light and darkness. In ancient Gaelic society, this was Samhain. It was tied to the harvest, celebrating abundance and looking towards the darkness ahead. A celebration of dualism, life rooted in an acknowledgment of possible death. Winter could be very difficult and survival was not always a given.
Our home is typically decked out with pumpkins and cob webs and things the evoke the spirit of the holiday. We have had some great parties over the years and very fond memories of our home packed with friends and family expressing creativity, eating food and sharing each other’s company. This year, there is nary a gourd around. The day has snuck up on us. There will be no gala or costumes or feast. Neither a trick nor a treat it may be said. Yet, it is still a time to embrace what societies knew in a way we have perhaps forgotten, but it is still very much with us.
We should live this day in all of its glory and beauty in the face of uncertainty. We are human, with immense creativity, perseverance and energy, yet at the same time we are mortal, subject to frailty, disease and yes, death. Such is the duality of the human condition. Friends, embrace this day. It is not too late to get a pumpkin and celebrate safely with those in our homes. We face uncertainty ahead, yet we always have. Most importantly, we have today in all its glory. Halloween 2020 is very different than other years, but I for one am grateful for it and will reflect on the dualism of it all. Gratitude for life right now, right here, come what may.
What are you grateful for today?
