The above picture is meant only to convey the feeling on East Capitol Street last night. The actual mob scene could not be captured digitally. At least I couldn't do it.
Halloween brings out the worst of the Dead. I really dislike it so much. As we walked up and down East Capitol Street last night, shoving our way through the mobs of trick or treaters, I kept asking my friends, "Is this fun?" They thought it was fun. I did not.
Halloween, for the Dead, is kind of like St. Patrick's Day for the living. They get high on all the hideous costumes, fake blood, zombies and such. I'm sure they blow off a lot of steam (if indeed dead people need to blow off steam), or at least they get a big kick out of it. Living beings, luscious and beautiful, dressed like rotting corpses? Oh god it must seem so funny to them - I guess. I believe when the Dead scare us, they experience a quasi-sexual rush which is (according to my cosmology) the only reason they do it. They love goosing us and watching us jump. It's vulgar, also rather mean. Maybe I'll understand the thrill after I'm dead. Who knows?
Have you ever thought about the fact that BOO is not only the word we use to scare each other at Halloween, but also the opposite of YAY? BOOing is about serious disapproval, right? Yeah.
Today and tomorrow, while the lowest common denominator among the Dead nurse the energy hangovers they are no doubt suffering from, the ghosts I actually love, my ancestors of blood, karma, and spirit, are standing right there, on the other side of the veil, whispering in my ear: teaching, guiding, assisting from their unique vantage points. Thank you, Mighty Dead! I am listening carefully.
I am pro Day of the Dead, but Halloween? I prefer to spend it with the living. L'chaim, y'all. Shalom.
My friend John, with Tonka, after dinner and our stroll down East Capitol last night. Isn't he lovely? No blood, no gore - he is anything but monstrous. Oh yeah.
11 comments:
Today Nov 1st, is my birthday and I always wondered about the significance of it falling between Halloween & Day of the Dead. I'm not Catholic but it's All Saints' Day. I like the date alot. You just always have an interesting take on these things so I'm curious about November 1. Thx Reya.
I really like Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) the celebration of lives past/passed. It is a day of remembrance, of freshening graves, of celebrating the lives of loved ones on the "other side of the veil". It is a very European, Central & South American custom; pity we don't celebrate it here.
Oh and I love November because it is my birthday month!
It was very quiet on the street here at the country house. I didn't even buy candy this year. Nor did I carve a pumpkin. Which is something I have done every year except for two or three.
tonka looks like a bigger version of our elvis!!!
i think you did a good job capturing the feeling!
happy la toussaint! and day of the dead!
I like how the hustle and bustle of it all is captured so well in that first image. Our night was very quiet. We stayed home, had about 10 trick or treaters (that's a new record) and went to bed early. I really should get out more.
Tonka is lovely indeed- his person not too bad either...Halloween is one of my favorites just because of the October festy-ness of it- dress as who you are not sort of thing and eat gobs of gooey sugar crap.Creativity at it's best - costumes- thought about all year and prepared convincingly...all good- there's a Christmas tree fully lit walking down the street- There's a 6'7" Pinochio with a 4' Pippi Longstocking- there's a jelly fish and a squid with Jack-o-lanterns, and a baby sister bunny. A festive march of wild costumes- sugar high- children out with their parents, walking at night, in the cold , in the wind and having a great time. EXCELLENT!
sugary tsunamis washed through the room today. highs and lows. energy flying every which way and otherwise. the class searched for a centre.
the boy in the picture has goodness about him. the dog - well i love dogs but i favour the border collie - like myself, thin, purposeful, desperate for open spaces, instinctive, deep genes, lost in its work! steven
Linda Sue I didn't see any cool costumes last night, only hideous monster stuff. I would love to notice the ballerinas and faeries, firemen, squids, etc.
My teacher just confirmed (on facebook) that in her tradition they stay indoors on Halloween, allow the spirits to roam. Now THAT makes sense to me!
Your friends both look nice! I think it is good the way you do it, Reya, conversing with your ancestors and parted friends any time of the year and not being scared by them on one! Allerheiligen und Allerseelen are they days called here, and soon we`ll have Volkstrauertag (mourning the dead of the two world wars), Bußtag (repentence day) and then Totensonntag (remembering our dead ones) - a truly gloomy month, November. And it HAS set in with fog and low skies. I am looking forward to the Christmas season now! Even to nerve racking songs.
What a beautiful dog!
We had very few scary people Sunday. We live in a neighborhood with a lot of children so we get mostly faeries and animals. We had a few Michael Jackson's this year, which was fun. We also managed to get our trick or treating done before it got completely dark...
I didn't really think about what the actual spirits think of Halloween. Thanks for the eye opening.
Even the nerve-wracking songs? Whoa, Angela, may November pass QUICKLY!!
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