Happy Halloween

Here is it is finally, the night of costumed children and adults parading in the streets. And having made my peace with it, bought the candy, wore a costume of sorts to Zumba class, I still found myself not happy to see the large signboard at the dry cleaners advertising the free haunted house on my block. So is there a way to come out of tonight feeling good about the experience? I do know that my house looks dark and perhaps uninviting compared to the other attractions on the block, so it may just be me and a giant tub of candy for the night. If we consider giving out candy in the broad sense as either an act of neighborliness or an act of charity, in either case I lose nothing by giving candy, as a neighbor it is akin to breaking bread or sharing food, and as charity, according to the Torah, you will never become poor from giving charity, and no harm will befall you because of it. Sort of like the never ending pasta bowl...the more you give, the more you have? I get this on a motivational, faith level but is it really true? I've had a hard time not considering the money I give to charity as money I might need one day. And the idea of giving 10% of our income, well when you add it all up we might be at 5%, and it would be emotionally akin to bungee jumping for me to go any higher. I'm sticking with small acts for a long time before I will feel ready for bigger gestures.

Which raises another tough question, my husband offered a small loan to his sister as she needed to get something for a job. According to the commentary, charity should be considered a loan, somehow the universe will return what you give away. So in that way he can make a loan, and let go of whether it ever gets paid back in a direct fashion. Or maybe he should just call it an early Hanuakah present and move on. Most everybody is doing the best they can these days, many folks have taken a hit of one sort or another. The best I can do is smile, be patient, and give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I guess that is the philosophy for Halloween night, whether the trick or treater be too little to talk or over 6 feet tall, make my smile my mask and enjoy whatever comes to the door.