“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” — William Shakespeare
Halloween is just days away and the town of Hammonton is ready. We have had Downtown Trick or Treat, trunk or treat events, a giant corn maze and more. The annual Kiwanis Parade is set for the day this paper hits the streets.
But have we taken the scary out of Halloween?
Perhaps.
It has become a nice, Hallmark-type holiday.
Where are the goblins and spooky stories?
“If human beings had genuine courage, they’d wear their costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween.”
— Douglas Coupland
I always thought it was funny that Election Day was so close to Halloween. Let’s be honest.
Who wears a mask better than a politician soliciting votes. It is when they sit in their elected seat that the facade falls and we truly see who they are.
Maybe we should consider moving Election Day to Halloween. It would be more authentic.
“October was always the least dependable of months … full of ghosts and shadows.”
— Joy Fielding
In the national news, there have been some truly horrendous stories of how humans are harming one another.
On October 20, Fox 29 reported about a dating violence incident in University of Delaware dorm.
These incidents are enough to put me off from rewatching “Criminal Minds” for a good amount of time.
“Where there is no imagination, there is no horror.”
— Arthur Conan Doyle
Life is all about balance. I know for all the lightness, there has to be a corresponding darkness. I just wish there was more balance and not the extremes. It seems some days that the dark has landed in Philadelphia and made it its home.
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”
— Stephen King
A lie is a dangerous and detrimental thing. I have no time to associate myself with regular liars. At this point in my life, I have no problem in calling people are their versions of the truth. You may have a different perspective but truth is truth.
I think more people would be better off if they learned to accept the truth that is in front of them rather than the lies they construct.
“Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it’s about finding the imagination and costume within ourselves.”
— Elvis Duran
Halloween allows us to explore being people and playing roles we never thought we would. Maybe we want to be Superman and save the world. Or maybe we want to be a lion and be the king of the jungle. Or maybe we just want to dress like Strawberry Shortcake because her costume is adorable.
“Just because I cannot see it, doesn’t mean I can’t believe it!” — Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas
Faith is one of those things that we can’t see but believe in anyway. So is love. If you believe in love, you can see it in the face of those you love. If you have faith, you can see it in the way you approach the world knowing you are supported by a higher authority.
“I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.”
—Wednesday Addams on “The Addams Family”
As someone who has always loved wearing black, I love this quote. I cannot help it. There is something comforting about black, it allows for all the other colors around to shine brighter.
Gina Rullo is the editor-in-chief of The Hammonton Gazette. In 2022, she was named an “Editor Extraordinaire” by Editor & Publisher Magazine and in 2021 won two awards for investigative journalism.