Happy Halloween!

Every once in a while, it is fun to pretend you are someone else. That is why I think Halloween is so great—not because I care about either the Pagan or Christian ideals it celebrates or protests. An acquaintance of mine on good ol’ Facebook posted this week that she would never let her children dress up for Halloween, not ever. She doesn’t believe in celebrating a Pagan holiday that glorifies blood and guts. I say she’s missed the spirit of the thing.

Pretending to be someone else, or something else, if only just for an evening, is an excellent way to explore another side of your personality. It can make you feel interesting, or brave, or more serious, or less constricted. It can allow you to see what it’s like to alter your personality, without a firm commitment to change.

I read a great article in The Atlantic this week about the idea that everyone has multiple personalities, conflicting for control, rather than one distinct self. I often feel this way—that there is more than one “me” in my body, or mind, or wherever what you would call the soul resides. I have attributed it before to being a Gemini—two persons in one mind. Allowing oneself to give over control to one of those other personalities for the evening is what makes Halloween so interesting to me.

By the way, if you’re looking for a costume, or you need a specific accessory to go WITH your costume, at any time of the year, you should check out Dottie Mae’s Costumes in Kansas City. I borrowed some angel wings from a friend at work, but I needed a halo to complete my outfit (see picture in this post!). I found just what I needed at Dottie Mae’s (plus a reason to have MULTIPLE costume parties in the near future, there were so many great options).