Dealing With Ignorance

A woman wrote an email message with a tremendous ramble about the "evil" of Halloween and ended with "from those of us who understand the true meaning of the day." So Lisa sent this, expecting to "eat asphalt" (Lisa's words) but instead discovered a very positive response. I would like to thank her for allowing us to include her letter here.

From Those Of Us Who Understand The True Meaning Of The Day

by Lisa McCrea

Oh good!! Then you can come and celebrate with us. We begin writing the names of all the people and dear animals that we have lost in our life. It turns into a day of family history as we talk about my Dear Grandmother and my Daughter's Grandmother. We write their names on parchment in our best handwriting and remember something special about each of them. By the end of the evening we usually have a large collection of names.

We have a wonderful dinner. Usually turkey and potatoes and biscuits with a pumpkin cheesecake. Of course you know we put an extra plate at the table loaded with all the goodies and a glass of wine. When we are done eating we take the plate to the foot of our big ash tree and pour the glass of wine in our garden to thank the Goddess for our wonderful harvest (I can think of no better way to honour the Goddess and God then by having children in Your garden).

Then we go trick or treating. We see so many good things about the world on this special night. Families enjoying each other, kids using their imaginations and neighbours talking and laughing together. What a wonderful way to give thanks.

We end the night by placing the names of our loved ones in our chimney along with some sage and lavender and we honour their memory by burning these. We take the ashes out to the garden in the morning and throw them to the wind. This is the highest holy day in our religion.

I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to find someone who understands the true meaning of this day and doesn't get lost in the foolish, uneducated, naive belief that is somehow a day of darkness or evil. That you rejoice in your children and family by remembering them and looking for evil where none exists. I am so sad for the children of people who can not let the light and goodness of this day shine. Since you do know the true meaning of this day, I am sure you take the time to help others put away this damaging, unholy view of a few powerful people who would crush one of the oldest religions in the world.