Clearing out the skeletons from the closet

We love Halloween. Have loved it since we were kids. Loved it even more when the children were young and we went with them around in the neighborhood to 'Trick or Treat.' Each year Peter dons his skeleton gloves, black turtle neck, and has about as much fun as the children.  He's quite the hit with the young ones.

Every once in a while I get my deep thinking hat on and question this whole business of Halloween. Because there is absolutely no question in my mind that Halloween in the USA,  is one of those big marketing holidays that we are all encouraged to buy up. But does it have any meaning at all?  Don't get me wrong. I love seeing all of the children in their costumes. I love hearing their awe of Peter's skeleton hands. I love how much Peter loves this couple of hours of doling out treats. I love the pageantry. We do love this holiday.

But is there anything more? Well, I rarely, go into the philosophical on this blog, let alone anything that even approaches the spiritual.

Recently, we had the opportunity to hear a Wiccan perspective on Halloween, or Samhain. Among other things, it is a celebration of bringing the light forth from the dark. In the northern hemisphere we are approaching the days of the least sunshine. It's harvest time and we bring in from the fields those things that will sustain us until the spring ushers in the bounty of the growing season. It's a time when we can put to rest the darkness in our lives and celebrate the light that will come with spring. The things that will nurture us through the through the dark months ahead.

So my thinking is, that, it doesn't really matter what your faith path is. In this quite commercial holiday, there is room to clean out the skeletons and cobwebs in your closet. Bats and zombies, too. They can be banished as well. It's a time to become aligned with the change of season and look towards the light.