Trick or Treat

As a youth I believed it was better to be on the receiving end of the Trick or Treat equation. Now that I move to the door upon hearing the doorbell ring and dispense candy, I believe it is better to give than to receive.

The giving of candy is more rewarding, even if the candy not one of the five major food groups. It makes me forget my aches and pains, and gives me pause for some reflection.

As I watch the troops of kids and their adult chaperones make their way through the neighborhood, I vividly recall doing the same, except I don't remember any adults. I could have a faulty memory, but it was Ridgewood circa 1960s/1970s, and as children we did go outside and make our own mistakes sometimes. Gathering as much candy as we could certainly qualifies as a youthful transgression. No doubt we were gladdened by the hunt and the competition to keep up the pace of acquisition. For days on end afterwards we got to decide what to eat and what to throw/give away. I know parents around town who secreted some of the candy themselves, mostly so kids wouldn't have belly aches from eating too much candy and to many chips.

Now I am left only with the aches of age and the pains of reminiscing too much about times which occurred well over forty years ago. I recall that after the eighth grade the charm of roaming on Halloween had lost its charm. Most kids stopped around this time. Probable it became just too easy and we also didn't want to be seen around little kids. Either way I am heartened by the giving and won't ruminate too much about the easy pickings of days gone by. The well worn phrase: "Trick or Treat!" still makes me smile.