For my first Halloween, I was dressed up like a girl by my older brother. I’ve not been able to retrieve a copy of the photo but when I do, I’ll put it up. That costume was not my choice nor my design but I wore it anyway. As I grew older, some years I was able to choose my costume. Others my mother, economics or indifference influenced my decisions. Regardless every year, I was dressed up in some kind of disguise to go in search of the “treats” that the world had to offer.
The thing about Halloween is that the disguise is expected. You’re supposed to act like someone or something else. The other 364 days of the year, you’re supposed to be yourself. However that’s not always as easy as it might seem. Much like the rosy-cheeked little girl that I was that first Halloween, sometimes our disguises are thrust upon us. Or we’ve forgotten why we chose them in the first place and they feel uncomfortable and small. The key factor is that we are conscious that we are making a choice about the disguises we were each day. Some will be close to our truest self and others further away. Regardless of what disguise you are wearing, it’s important to remember that you chose it.
Halloween is 365 days per year. Sometimes I’m a teacher, an author, a father, a friend or kind stranger. These are just some of the “disguises” that I wear. It’s not that I am ever faking any of this. I believe in all of these “disguises”. However by never settling on any of them being the only me, it puts no limits on who I can be. I was only the little girl once. It didn’t fit and I didn’t like it. I’ve been “the father” for over nine years. I love that role and I’ll keep playing it for years to come. It gets tweaked daily and eventually will look nothing like it does today. This might not be for everyone but I see Halloween every day.
Wear your best combination of masks to get the best “treats” you can from life.
Pete
Huryk Unlimited 