Happy All Hallow's Eve

Aka - All Saint's Day
Aka - Samhain
Aka - Halloween

Yes, it is here! The time when the wheel of seasons turns. The time in the old days which marked the beginning of winter and the dying of the old year. The beginning of the world's hibernation and additionally, the time when the veil between the spirit and physical world's are at thier thinnest. When the spirits of the dead can cross over and settle affairs of the past.

They say this is also the time when that stingy old Irish bastard, Jack, wanders the lands of the dead. Holding in front of him his ghostly lantern, a pumpkin (or turnip) with a burning coal from hell lighting it up from the inside. Ole Scaley tossed it at him when he banished wily Jack from entering the gates of hell. Since he was also banned from heaven, Jack wanders the roads of the dead, forever searching for a place to put up his boots. His way lit by that hellish lamp. Otherwise known as the Jack-o-Lantern.

Legend also has it that on this day and night the spirits of the dead wander the lands in greater numbers. To protect themselves, villagers would give themselves horrific countenances to ward off thier spectral callers. The tradition still lives on in a hybrid form now, with people wearing scary costumes on this holiday.

While we may not regard this day in the same way society of old has, I think it is still appropriate. If this is indeed the marking of our entry into winter, and our recognition of the nights ghostly traffic. Then revelry honoring traditions of old on this eve, and celebrating the vitality of our life is indeed a worthy persuit of the day. Our time is short enough on this earth as it is, best not to waste it as curmudgeons. My suggestion is to think on this when planning your evening. Kudos to you who have read this far, I wish you the flush of inspiration on this All Hallow's Eve.


One smidgen of text I think is quite evocative:

Empty your heart of its mortal dream.
The winds awaken, the leaves whirl round,
Our cheeks are pale, our hair is unbound,
Our breasts are heaving our eyes are agleam,
Our arms are waving our lips are apart;
And if any gaze on our rushing band,
We come between him and the deed of his hand,
We come between him and the hope of his heart.