Halloween Angst

Those of you who have been following me for years might recall when I had to move from my amazing carriage house in Cape Cod because of my crafty bitch neighbors. I was thrilled to end up in Maine, where people are way too sensible to put their whole sense of self on things like Halloween decorations. But, I know not everyone has the luck to end up in Maine, so I put this blast from the past in front of you to encourage you to celebrate what you are, and not what you are not.

October 2015

I have to move. I have come to realize over the past few years that you must surround yourself with people who elevate you, who make you feel good about yourself, your accomplishments, and your potential. This doesn’t mean you should never be challenged by friends, co-workers, and acquaintances who may outshine you; but the distance between you cannot be akin to the miles between the sun and the moon.

But I’ll come to the point: Here is a picture of my neighbors’ Halloween decorations:

And just in case you’re not properly impressed, here is what hung from the tree to the right of this family gathering:

Now let’s look at my Halloween decoration (yep, that would be singular, not plural).

And I can’t even take credit for the face. I bought it already cut out for only an additional $15.

Here is the thing—at first, I clapped my hands with glee when I saw said neighbor’s Wizard of Oz decor. I can appreciate fabulous creativity as well as the next person. But then people started driving onto my property to park and take pictures, and I started to get irritated. Friends commented on the difference between my Jack O’ Lantern and the neighbors’ production. Over and over again I came home, drove past their house, and felt the giant chasm between them and me. But in the end I let it go. I gave it up for their brilliance, deciding that Halloween must be their favorite holiday, and I can live with it for one month a year. I even stopped by to tell them how cool the entire thing was. Really, I did. And I meant it. Oprah has taught me nothing if not to be authentic.

But upon weeks of reflection, that’s all bull. I believe I need to move somewhere else where I fit in better. Agreed?