Too Old for Halloween? 
What a Frightening Idea!
An Audacious-Aging Halloween
Somewhere along the way, some wicked person decided Halloween was just for children. Probably the same person who decided older women shouldn’t wear red lipstick, older men shouldn’t dance in public, and everyone past sixty should behave sensibly.
I hope that person gets raisins.
Halloween is practically an invitation to age audaciously. Wear something outrageous. Knock on a neighbor’s door. Laugh at yourself. Give your imagination an evening off its leash. We’ve spent enough years being responsible. Surely we can spare a few hours for a feather boa and a crooked hat.
Give “Act Your Age” a Costume
What does acting our age look like, anyway?
At our age, we’ve earned a considerable collection of selves. We’ve been children, sweethearts, workers, caregivers, beginners, experts, and occasionally complete fools. We have enough material for a costume shop.
So choose a character you’d enjoy inhabiting. A glamorous witch with excellent boundaries. A pirate who has stopped asking permission. A fairy godmother whose first gift is an afternoon to herself.
Or come as the person you’ve secretly wanted to be. Halloween gives us a lovely excuse to try him/her on.
Invite Your Fears to the Party
Some of the things that frighten us don’t wear masks.
Walking into a gathering alone. Asking someone to have coffee. Taking a class when we’re afraid we’ll be the oldest person there. Letting people see something we’ve written.
Those fears can keep us home long after we’ve put away the Halloween decorations.
This season, choose one small thing you’ve been avoiding and give it a try. Invite the neighbor. Sign up for the class. Read your funny story aloud.
You’re allowed to have butterflies. They can come along for the ride.
Stir Up Some Mischief—and Connection
You don’t need an elaborate party to make a little Halloween magic.
- Invite a few friends for soup and ask everyone to wear a ridiculous hat.
- Exchange childhood Halloween memories.
- Award a prize for the worst homemade costume ever.
- Call someone who lives alone and invite them to hand out candy with you.
- Prefer a quiet evening? – Put a pumpkin on the table, make something delicious, and telephone an old friend. Ask, “Do you remember what we got away with?” And allow plenty of time for the answer.
Write Something Wickedly Wonderful
Halloween is rich territory for a memoir writer. Remember the porch you were afraid to approach? The mask you could barely see through? The neighbor who gave out full-size candy bars and achieved permanent sainthood?
Start here:
“The Halloween I still remember began with…”
Include the rustle of your costume, the smell of a candle burning inside a pumpkin, the cold air on your cheeks. Let yourself become that child for a few minutes. See what else comes back.
And if you discover you still want the biggest candy bar, some things need no explanation.
This Halloween, put a little pleasure on the calendar.
- Wear the earrings.
- Tell the story.
- Be the first person to laugh.
We still have mischief in us. Let’s give it somewhere to go.
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BOOKS FOR YOU
Click on title:
Audacious Aging – Wrinkles, Wit, and a Wild Ride
100 Days of Bold, Sassy, Unapologetic Joy
Your Legacy – The Stories of Your Life
That’s Life – Many Mini Memoirs, by Carol Petersen Purroy
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