Spooky Season and Reflections

 Well, the month of October has gotten away from me. I apologize that I haven't posted in almost three weeks now, October is always a busy month for me. For starters, it's when the full swing of the school year is finally getting going and we have lots of stuff at work that gets me so that by the time I get home I am exhausted and barely have time for my second job (which is also teaching).

All of that is just excuses, though. It is spooky season! In light of that, I have to highlight my spooky story "Home Field Advantage" which can be found in the collected anthology The House on Dominion Street published through Winged Hussar. I'm rather proud of it because it is a departure from my usual fantasy stories. You can buy it through Amazon HERE

Besides all of that, there is also a season of traditions coming up. The last quarter of the year is always a magical time that is steeped in the memories of the past. It is a time of reflection. In October we see the world begin to die a little as we move into the winter months. The leaves fall from the trees in a way that symbolizes the end of something. The ancient tradition of Samhain was to celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of the new one and this was done with almost funeral-like festivities, which we still somewhat observe to this day. After this, the reflection gets deeper with the advent of Thanksgiving (at least here in the US) and our memories turn to our lives and the things we normally take for granted so that we can appreciate them again.

Lastly, there is December with its cavalcade of holidays from nearly all major denominations, and it is in this month that our reflections reach a much more personal, childlike level. At least they do for me. We long for the sweet memories of our childhood and want to pass those on to others. I say this in a general sense because there are many whose childhoods were not bright spots in their lives, but can be a source of trauma. But, generally, I feel that a good amount of us reflect back on those times in our lives when we were happy and we long to return to those moments of wonder and possibility.

I know it's too early for Christmas messages and such. But I must say that seeing my own children get excited for Halloween does bring up those kinds of feelings for me. I am excited to see the looks on their faces as they get to pick out their costumes. As we watch The Nightmare Before Christmas for the hundredth time, or as we go to the pumpkin patch to choose our soon-to-be Jack-O-Lanterns. For me, this is the time of year when my burdens begin to take a back seat. It is a season of rest, and it is one that I look forward to every year.

I hope that you do, too. If you don't, then I hope that you can find some time of year that can be that for you. For we all need it. If there is one thing I hope that my books convey is that we are all struggling with our own burdens, and just like you can't walk a thousand miles without stopping to eat, sleep, and rest, the same is true in our yearly march across this world we call home. It is far too dangerous to attempt this journey and hope that we can do everything we want without having to let down our burdens and just exist. 

May this season be the one where you can find that rest. Find a cozy book, drink something that makes you feel safe, and for just a few minutes recognize that the horrors that we face on a daily basis are on the other side of the door. Yes, you'll have to face them at some point, but that does not mean that we can't find moments when those battles don't have to be fought right now. Even if it's just one evening, just one hour. Rest wherever you can. The battles will still be there when you get back up, but I have faith in you. Catch your breath and pause.

Happy Halloween, and Season's Greetings everybody!