Only In October

Oh, to be a kid again on Halloween. October was always my favorite time of year when I was growing up... come to think of it, it's still my favorite time of year. There's just something about it. Maybe it's because it's that transitional time when you're deep into Fall, but it's not quite Winter yet. That time when anything can happen.

Here, in the San Joaquin Valley, you never know what the weather will be like in October. One day it's in the high 80's or 90's, the next you have to drag out a heavy sweater. I must admit, while I don't necessarily miss snow (well, maybe a little... snow evokes the image of cuddling on the couch with a cup of steaming hot tea, a cozy blanket, a roaring oak-wood fire and a favorite book), I do miss Falls' spectacular show. The leaves changing from green to red, gold and magenta, the crispness in the air, kids leaping into and kicking about the raked up piles of leaves in their yards.

But only in October.

Where I live, you know it's really, really Fall when the fog rolls in. Nothing gives rise to the magic of the imagination like driving across a fog-shrouded river in the early morning. To see the tree tops peeping through the low lying mist, and the suns' first rays gently lining the edges with soft gold, one almost expects to see an elf peering out from the rivers' edge as one drives past.

But only in October.

In the evenings, when the air cools and the stars twinkle down, when bar-b-ques fire up and you hear the sounds of people laughing and children shrieking in play, it lets you know that Old Man Winter is being held at bay.

But only in October.

October has a magic all its own if you look for it. It's in the smiles of the people around you. It's in the cuddle-some softness of the seasons' first sweater. It's in the sight, smell and sound of an oak-wood fire.
         It's the fog.
         It's the leaves.
         A kittens purr.
         A childs giggle.

Perhaps most magical of all is October 31st. Halloween. No longer a day to fear, it's now a day to let your imagination run wild. It's a day to pretend that black cats really do fly on a witchs' broom. That bats can really become Count Dracula. That werewolves are howling in the woods behind your house and mummies are stalking the streets. This is the day you get to be someone, anyone but yourself.
         A Star Trek officer.
         The Phantom of the Opera.
         A pirate.
         A knight.

Forget the candy and other treats. I know, I know, candy's a part of the whole package. But, what is it kids are most excited about? What is it they plan on for weeks in advance, changing their minds over it a ga-zillion times 'til their parents are fervently wishing (even praying) that UFOs are real and about to take off with their beloved little imps?

It's the chance to change who they are, even if it's only for one night. The chance to not only dress like, but (in their minds) actually be their hero. It's a chance to explore who they want to be as a grown-up without being laughed at. It's what we, as adults, strive to re-capture with our costume parties, but never can because we have a hard time letting go of reality for even a short time. As if we fear the magic of October will capture us and never let us return.

That is what I love most about October. The building of imaginations' magic 'til it culminates in one special, unforgettable night. A night when magic almost seems to be a living creature, delighting in the innocent joy of childhood, even as a parent delights in seeing the wonder of the night through their childs' eyes. A night where dreams can be reality.

But only in October.