Trick or treat

Yesterday was Halloween (or All Hallow's Eve in the Church calendar).
While I didn't have the chance to dress up and parade door to door seeking sugar-filled treats. I did have the opportunity to to witness dozens of other ghouls and goblins masquerade through a Hendersonville neighborhood.
If Halloween is known for anything, it's dressing in costume. Some outfits are custom-designed or homemade. Others have all the detail of high-end hollywood authenticity. All sorts of shapes and sizes and ages. Everyone can get in on the fun.
Of course, some criticize the whole idea of dressing up for a night and pretending to be something you're not. Truthfully, I'm more concerned about us who march around day after day pretending to be something they're not.
Some criticize the idea of hiding behind a mask or masking our true identity. We close ourselves off in a fantasy world and avoid dealing with reality. Yet, over the years, I've found out, more often than not, that our costumes or masks actually reveal a deeper truth about ourselves than we might imagine. A Joker or Cinderella, cartoon character or slasher villan, dinosaur or mummy. Our masked idenity can sometimes free us to speak what our lips may never be bold enough to proclaim. That's worth the effort once a year.
Be yourself. Trick or Treat!