What are you going to be? Who are you going to dress up as? These are the questions filling the school yards and buses these days. For weeks now kids have been planning their Hallowe’en costumes. It is a night of frights and fun and, of course, candy!
There is something magical about dressing up and pretending to be someone else. It can be a welcome relief from reality for some.
This week many of us wish we could pretend. We wish we could pretend that the horrifying attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh had not happened. We wish we could pretend that the divisions between races and religions were decreasing not increasing. We wish we could pretend that political leaders gave messages of proactive support and not messages of hate, rancour and division. But we don’t live in a word of pretend but in a world of harsh reality where racism and hatred are very much factors of our society.
In one interview this morning, when asked to make political comments, the columnist said he would not respond. He said this is the week to honour the pain of families grieving and that next week will be time enough for political commentary. Wise words. We do need to take in the pain and grief of those who lost loved ones, killed simply for going to worship in their beloved synagogue. Despite the temptation to make political hay, let us instead honour those who died and those who grieve.
Halloween will come on Wednesday. There will be shrieks of fright at imagined threats and bursts of laughter. Children will run free from the fear and worry that stalks many adults. They will be blissfully unaware, we hope, of the real fright that adults are all too aware of. For just a few hours, let’s pretend, and be someone else.
wise words