Is it really the end of October? Seriously? Yike!

Okay, so I’m not a huge fan of Halloween. It all feels like a consumer based marketing scheme to me, and it’s just plain unhealthy. Loved it as a kid; why wouldn’t I? Candy? Costumes? Pumpkins? It rocked, and I still have fond memories of knocking on doors while my dad kept a protective eye from the sidewalk. Still, I don’t look forward to the 31st of October. Not in the least.

Yesterday I found out that we had to dress up for work today. Just imagine my excitement. I tried prepping last night, but my heart wasn’t in it, so I scrambled this morning to pull together a costume. Odd how so much of my wardrobe resembles a gypsy, or maybe not so much. Regardless, that’s what I ended up as.

It struck me when I got home tonight how we don costumes every day. I’m forever going through my closet to express my feelings du jour, or to find the appropriate ensemble to satisfy social expectations. It’s all costume. It’s all Halloween. It’s all about being the thing that gets you candy.

What if there wasn’t any candy to be had? What if we just walked out the door in the morning with no paycheck to bring home, no doors to knock on, no him or her to impress, no acceptance to garner? What if we just showed up as us?

Today, while I was dressed up as someone else at work, I thought a lot about authenticity. Tonight, while I was working at my keyboard and feeling authentic, I thought a lot about costumes. I live for those moments now when I’m completely unaware of what I’m projecting. When I’m in the writing zone, time is non-existent, and I’m completely unaware of my physical self. This is why writers write, painters paint, singers sing, and golfers golf. It’s why we pursue the thing that haunts us. If you haven’t had this experience for yourself, I strongly suggest that you knock on a few doors until you find it. The treats can be obtained with tricks – trust me on this.