Halloween Misery Part 1

1965 was the year I was going to win first place at the church Halloween party. I dressed as a secret agent complete with trench coat and briefcase. The plastic mask was a woman with a fedora and dark glasses. It’s quite possible that a cigarette was smoldering between her red lips. Agent 99 of “Get Smart” was my heroine. She was the real brains of the show. Maxwell Smart was a goofball. Although she was a brunette, we were one and the same.

My real life nemesis was Lisette. Despite being a year younger than me, she had won first place two years in a row. Her mother made an elaborate Heidi of the Alps outfit the year I was a cow. Her Little Bo Peep costume won against my brother’s hand-me-down gorilla suit. I don’t know what the judges were thinking.

This year I remained confident as we marched around the parish house; that is, until Lisette floated into the room in mounds of tulle. The child bride, fashionably late, with veil and corsage did it again. She walked off with my prize.

I was astounded and horrified. “How could a stupid old bride win ?” I whined. “Don’t the judges know that a secret agent will help save the world? What’s a bride going to do?”

Years later I’m still complaining.

During a recent period of painful childhood reminiscing Mom said I seemed to have tough time with Halloween. “One year I brought home a nurses outfit complete with a cape and medical bag. You broke into tears.” Apparently I didn’t think nurses were that essential to saving the world either.

In part, Yoga Sutra 1:33 asks us to be happy for other people’s happiness. Jealousy only hurts the self. It’s not always easy to do when that self is 58 much less 7 years old.

Successful friends, acquaintances and competitors work at it. Nothing in life comes easy no matter what we think. Everything we do takes practice, commitment and hard work. Some of us work harder than others.

How many times did Lisette and her mother prick their fingers sewing on seed pearls? How many hours did someone spend crafting a story? How many yoga classes does another take each week? What does one give up in order to succeed or be happy? What am I not giving up?

I have no doubt that many brides and nurses have helped save mankind much more than me. I rejoice in their happiness and success when I’m not coming off of a candy corn high. Many of them have in fact saved my world.

Namaste- about Halloween there’s more to say.