Erase negativity by embracing your heart’s desire at work and play

Yesterday was Halloween. We had dozens of witches, bumblebees, ghouls, and princesses tricking or trying their way through the neighborhood. My spouse, CB, had considered handing out boxes of raisins as a healthier gift, but was afraid that the kids would seek revenge and skewer toilet paper on our palo verde tree.

It’s ironic how something as innocent as considering the health of little dudes could potentially backfire. However, I mostly remember how I felt when I was a kid and I would go trick-or-treating and someone would give us a healthy snack. I didn’t destroy his house, but I did resent it. My motto was “bring the chocolate!” In fact, this motto is still valid today.

However, while we try to be health conscious (with occasional lapses), we opted to distribute good-sized bags of M & Ms. It is not a nutritious option, but I think our chocolate-inspired decision helps us to ingratiate ourselves with the neighborhood kids.

My reasoning is not logical. Good nutrition is important and I know it. When the grandchildren come, I give them yogurt, vegetables and fruits. But on Halloween I make an exception. Part of this is nostalgic. My sister, Tina, now lives in my childhood home and on my many visits to the old neighborhood I pass by the houses I passed as a child. I don’t remember how to calculate fractions, but I still remember who handed out the best Halloween treats, who gave us apples, who turned off the lights and pretended not to be home.

Now that I’m older, I have a lot of friends who go out on Halloween so I don’t have to deal with trick or treating who comes to the door. I think this avoidance tactic is sad. Some of my best memories as a child were dressing up and parading down the street with my siblings and friends. He was a rare person who did not stay home to distribute sweets. Now I guess almost half the people in my neighborhood refuse to participate.

I’m sure people have their reasons and they certainly shouldn’t judge. However, I can’t help but wonder if they’ve forgotten what it’s like to be young. I am no exception. The day after Halloween (today) I had softball practice. We have had it for several weeks, but due to work and other obligations I have not been able to go. It’s still hot in sunny Arizona, so practice starts early. I am not a morning person.

When I got the email about the practice, I wanted to forget it again. Then my teammate Connie, who I hadn’t seen in months, called me on the phone. Hearing his voice made me realize how much I miss playing and socializing with my softball teammates. I went out to the diamond and it was just like old times. I haven’t played in a few months so I’ve gotten a little rusty, but it was fun to be there again.

Which brings me to the moral of the story (and yes, I always seem to have one). Whether he’s handing out candy to the trick or the handlers or trying to catch a grounder at second base, I don’t just remember what it’s like. being young when I do the things I enjoy – I AM young again.

In my book Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within, Kimberly Kingsley discusses the importance of doing the work you love and participating in activities that energize and delight you. Here are some tips from Chapter 11.

• Find your passion in life, develop it and share it with the world.

• The positive energy you create from your expressions of love, gratitude, and kindness will reverberate throughout the universe in the same way that a small pebble thrown in the middle of a still pond can send ripples through water.

So my advice is, don’t turn a curmudgeon ahead of time. Find something you like and do it until you drop.