Happy Halloween. It is the last day of October 2008. Every year as a young boy, my October birthday was celebrated with all the trimmings of Halloween. For several years, my dad dressed up as a witch and made an appearance to all the kids who gathered in celebration. It was a happy time with minor scares to spice up the festivities. As I remember it through the years, most of the costumes were homemade. We had great fun trying to collect the proper pieces to make up our outfits. We walked our own neighborhoods and Trick or Treated at as many doors as we could manage. Parents were out with the little ones, and the big kids' tricks consisted of soaping windows, wrapping bushes and trees with toilet paper, or throwing a raw egg or two. People made many of the treats; homemade candy, caramel apples, fruit, and popcorn balls. In most cases the worst part of the next day might be a little clean up. Now, most choose not to call it Halloween. We have researched it and found its evil roots and find it necessary to call it by its more socially and politically correct name, "Fall Festival". The celebrations are held indoors in guarded security with only commercially manufactured treats which must be individually wrapped. Most of the costumes are bought off the rack. My, we have come a long way. I long for those quiet days of yesteryear before we were so well informed, and before we slid so far morally as a nation as to fear our neighbors. I plan to participate because of the little ones. I will buy some fresh individually wrapped candies to distribute (I ate the ones Bebe already bought).Read these, and as you do try and guess who said them:
During this election year let's be reminded of these words:
* You cannot help the poor, by destroying the rich.
* You cannot strengthen the weak, by weakening the strong.
* You cannot bring about prosperity, by discouraging thrift.
* You cannot lift the wage earner up, by pulling the wage payer down.
* You cannot further the brotherhood of man, by inciting class hatred.
* You cannot build character and courage, by taking away men's initiative and independence.
* You cannot help men permanently, by doing for them what they could and should, do for themselves.
Do you recognize the author?
It was Abraham Lincoln.
Very, very wise words, written years ago and we still don't get it...
