I live far enough out from town that in the five years we’ve lived here, we have had one trick or treater (update: make that two!). This does not stop us from buying Halloween candy.
I grew up in town until I was eight, when we moved to the country. I loved Halloween in town, walking the streets at night under the glow of street lamps, the rustle of the autumn leaves overhead, the smell of winter in the air, the ghouls and goblins all about. I watched all the Halloween shows and read Halloween books and poems, stuck my hands in the guts of as many pumpkins as I was allowed. But the year that it snowed forms my most impressionable memory of this time of year. I have two clear memories of experiencing bliss as a child. The first one took place during a summer walk at twilight. I’m not sure why my family went out that night; I guess the weather must have been nice. I was wearing my favourite pyjamas and feeling very happy. At one point I noticed something flying overhead. I was told they were bats! I was fascinated by these creatures flying over our heads and felt a deep peace. My second experience happened when I was a few years older. We were near the end of our trick or treating excursion in town and were taking a shortcut through the hospital parking lot to get home. Between the main part of town and the hospital was a border of woods with a paved path. I was listening to and admiring the leaves in the wind when it started to snow. The first snow of the season! which was always magical enough in itself, but to snow on Halloween, now that was something! Again, I felt that deep meditative contentment (not that I would have called it that) as I watched the flurries dance under the glow of the street lamp. For years I would recall that memory and begin to talk about it by saying, “Remember that time when it snowed on Halloween . . .” and most people responded with a laugh, “Grace, it doesn’t snow in October!” Well, guess what, it does snow in October!
snowy barn Oct. 30, 2011
I think it was two years ago when the first snow fell yet again on Halloween, and now everyone seems to remember that it does indeed snow sometimes in October. So I feel somewhat vindicated now, that it wasn’t just a dream I was confusing with reality, like the beach I was obsessed with finding again as a kid, having only visited it once and confusing my parents whenever I tried to remind them of it so that we could go there, only to finally realize when I dreamed of it again in college that it was never real to begin with, there being no confusion this time that a beach of such surreal beauty could not be of this world. I’m still waiting to dream that healing dream again.
Happy Halloween, you can find me later tonight outside and alone by my special tree that knows all my secrets commuing with the spirits! *witchy laugh* . . . actually I’ll probably just meditate outside and say a prayer I wrote in honour of the season and check up on my five new walnut trees (free ones we got from our neighbour).
