It's Halloween!

Halloween is almost always associated with sweet treats. They usually come in the form of candy for trick or treaters. This year things are going to be a little different, people are trying to figure out how to capture the fun of trick or treating in a safe way. If you strip away the events and the gatherings Halloween is about finding joy in something different from yourself.

When we were children we chose costumes because they were a fun change from our everyday lives. I always chose a character that 1. Had a cute costume 2. Was a person or character that I looked up to. The first costume that I remember choosing myself was Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz." I had the blue and white gingham jumper and I even convinced my mom to let me bring my dog along, because he was an integral part of my costume. I spent the whole day acting like a classic character, when people saw me walking down the street in my costume they instantly knew who I was dressed as. Dorothy embodied the spirit and courage that I wished that I had in my everyday life, so for the weeks following Halloween I carried the essence of the character with me. This year, as a 21 year old female, I dressed up as Mr. Rogers. I picked this character for the same reasons I chose Dorothy as a child, I wanted to pivot my life to embody some of the characteristics that Mr. Rogers embodied: kindness, inclusion, and discovery.

Of course Halloween is also about sweet treats, but this experience of eating large amounts of sugar can bring back a wave of nostalgia. Recalling memories of running around with your friends, free as a bird. This nostalgia can still be achieved in a protected way during the pandemic. You can treat yourself to cupcake from Flourish or even do some baking yourself.

This Halloween I encourage you to make your day safe, but still special. Set aside your everyday personality and try something new! You may just discover a joy in exploration.

Talk to you soon,

Katie Ohren