This year all the businesses gave out candy to kids on Main Street for Halloween. The Center for Spiritual Living Central Maryland participated too. We gave away goodie bags with candy and an affirmation ; I called them ‘trick or treatments’. There were lots of families out with their little kids. It was great fun; the costumes were darling and although I don’t usually approve of loading kids up with sugar I loved giving the little goodie bags to the children.
It’s fun to dress up, to put on a costume or a mask and pretend to be something else. As children we learned by pretending. We played house, we dressed up, and we pretended to be superheroes, monsters, or fairies and princesses. It was just make believe but it taught us how to play different roles in life.
Pretending is harmless fun. But what happens when we don’t realize we are still pretending? As we mature; wait a minute – I’ll just speak for myself here…. As I matured and began living in the “grown up” world I pretended to know what I was doing. I took on the roles of wife, worker, mother, not really knowing who I was at this stage of my life so I identified with the roles instead.
Perhaps you consider yourself awake and conscious. A spiritually aware person, if you will, knowing the difference between the roles you play and who you really are. Or is being a spiritual being just another role you’re playing?
As conscious beings we espouse that we want peace yet when we find ourselves in a difficult situation it is our reaction that speaks volumes of who we are.
Do we respond from our spiritually aware self when something upsetting happens? Again speaking for myself – the answer is that often my first reaction is just that, a reaction. I still have some work to do in this department. Sometimes it’s surprising how attached I can be to wanting my way. Suddenly my upset seems to trump my desire for peace in the world… imagine that.
I like to think that when I fall short it’s an opportunity to see my growing edge. No shame or blame, just my humanity reminding me to stay present and remember who I said I want to be when I grow up. With my eyes opened once again all I can do is take notice and give thanks for the reminder.
Happy Halloween Everybody!
