I like to make people smile and for some reason people are smiling at me today. Perhaps, it’s because everyone is in such a good mood today. Today is Halloween. The day that spirits are supposed to walk the mortal world and witches fly through the air on magical broomsticks. It’s a day that encourages imagination and the belief in the impossible. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It always has been.

Okay, I’ll admit that most people are smiling at me because I’m wearing a cat-ear headband and I’ve drawn a black cat nose and whiskers on my face with eye liner. I look silly, but it’s allowed today.

Someone once said that, on Halloween, you can be anyone that you want to be. For me, Halloween is all about being me. The rules have been bent. Today, it is okay for a thirty-one year old woman to go to work with cat ears. I know it’s okay because my boss has been talking about what she’s going to be for weeks. You can let loose a little, enjoy life and have fun. (No, I'm not implying that the real me is furry feline. I'm just suggesting that it's nice to cut through some of the pretension that comes with adulthood.)

Last year my son went to a few houses to trick-or-treat, but this year he really gets it. He carved a pumpkin with my parents this week-end and he’s been practicing what to say when he goes to the door. “What do you say first?” my husband asked him. “Knock on the door,” my son responded. “Then you say trick or treat,” my husband reminded him. “Trick or treat,” my son repeated. “Then what happens,” my husband prompted. “I get candy and I say thank you,” my son said with a grin.

Have I told you that my son is obsessed with cars? I think I have. He picked out his costume a couple of weeks ago. He’s going to be a pit crew member for Lightning McQueen (of Disney’s Cars movie). He has a cute little jumpsuit that looks just like a NASCAR outfit complete with corporate sponsors. I’ll share pictures later. I’m not sure who’s more excited, but I think my son is coming in a close second to his mom.