Boo! Trick-or-treat was a blast this year. I love seeing the neighborhood kids, and sometimes their parents, all dressed up for the occasion. While some safety measures were still in place, it was great to see some return to normalcy even if it was a street full of super heroes, princesses, goblins and ghosts.
I don’t know about you, but I start buying candy way back in September, most of which is trick-or-treated even before the first costumed characters arrive at our door. In fact, so much so that I usually have to make several subsequent trips to the store to get more. I figure it is all good UAT (user acceptance testing) so we deliver a quality experience on Halloween night. Based on the pounds of candy invested, we nailed it! Of course, the weight scales have a different opinion about the outcome.
Bring on the fall decorations! Christmas and holiday decorations have been on display in most retail stores for the past several weeks. But before we light the candles and trim the trees, we must past through the season of thanksgiving. I love this time of year! The next four weeks are a great time for reflection and gratefulness. Yes, it is a wonderful time of family, friends and food, but it is also a time of remembering. This past year has been a challenging time for all of us. Major life events and minor inconveniences added up to a sum of substantial challenges for many of us. Yet through the journey there has been incredible moments of celebration, accomplishments and learning.
Life is like that. It is a composition of major and minor chords. Sometimes you are soaring on the high notes, ringing warm with the delight and optimism that the major chords bring. Then suddenly, tragedy or setbacks strike and the strings ring a cold, somber and sad march. Yet in it all, there is a beauty. The shadows of the gloomy mood are overtaken by the next soaring melody. We overcome. We sing new life into the darkness and transition our way to the next mountaintop anthem. Looking back, we see the journey and the score that was laid down behind us. Remember it. It is part of our experience, a bit of who we are and the personal soundtrack of our life’s story. Change it. As the conductor, we have the opportunity to set the next measure. Write it. Enjoy every section that makes up our life. We journey this way but once. Don’t miss the concert!