It's day 39 and I am well. Last night I went trick-or-treating with Dick Cheney. A few months ago, my oldest son, Calvin, 12, decided he wanted to be Dick Cheney for Halloween. I wasn't so sure about it. At first, I was dead set against it. We live in a small, conservative town and, as the local yoga teacher, I am definitely an NPR-listening, school wellness policy-supporting, pro-choice democrat (I think there may be an even dozen of us now) who thinks it's insane that gay marriage is even an issue. I just didn't see an upside to dressing up as the Vice President.....even without a shotgun. Also, our plans included standing on our church's doorstep (the Methodist church, right smack dab in the center of town), handing out candy and glow-in-the dark bracelets and asking for UNICEF donations. It just seemed a bit over the top.
But Calvin persisted and I finally agreed. The mask covers his head completely and comes with glasses. He added a $1 men's suit coat from the City Mission Thrift store and he was good to go.
And I set to fretting and worrying. What would happen? Would people give "Dick Cheney" candy? Would people think that he was pro-Bush/Cheney and the vision of America? Would people think he was being disrespectful? What if....what if....what if...my mind reeled in anticipation of danger. I was filled with fear about what might happen.
Then I looked up the definition of fear. Fear is an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by the anticipation or awareness of danger. Aha! Fear so often happens in response to what MIGHT occur, not in response to what is ACTUALLY occurring. Go figure. I am mostly frightened by what might happen. When I write this, I realize fear is not all that scary anymore.
Last night, Calvin donned the mask and suit. It was eerie and hysterically funny and very disconcerting to hear his calm voice emanating from the mask. From a distance, he looked like the Vice President. I took a deep breath and told him, "If you're going to be Dick Cheney, own it. Respond to people as the Vice President. Don't explain, just enjoy."
Calvin was the hit of the evening. People just laughed. Some were actually startled because to them, he just looked like an old guy coming down the street. Everyone enjoyed a visit from the Vice President. The highlight of his evening was when he approached Mrs. D.'s door. Now, Mrs. D. is old school. To get a treat, you have to work for it -- dance, sing -- you have to do something. She took one look at Calvin and, without missing a beat, said, "I am honored that you have come to my house to trick-or-treat, Mr. Vice President."
When I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Sometime the most unexpected situations carry grace. Last night, a 12 year old boy dressed as Dick Cheney was the most graceful presence of the evening. I am thankful that I relaxed and made space for it to happen.
And the rest of the month?
I revised my October entry into a piece for NPR's series "This I Believe"....otherwise known as NPR's version of America Idol. I didn't make "the cut" to read it over the air, but am so happy to see it published on their website. Check out http://www.thisibelieve.org/. Go to Search Database and search "temoshok" and you'll go right to my essay. I encourage you to try your hand at it. Calvin is working on one for school ("I believe in Alfred E. Newman"). There are some very wonderful essays on the site.
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