Why I Get Nostalgic in the Fall – Part One
Growing up, there was an unwritten rule that every holiday had its own season, filled with its own family, church and community traditions. In the Fall, that meant starting by picking out pumpkins and turning them into jack-o-lanterns in October, highlighted by attending at least one Halloween party. Growing up on military bases, there was aways an event happening this time of year at the Community Center that we would attend. Back then, no one really thought about sanitary things like we do today. So doing things like bobbing for apples was actually a thing, along with other fun games that were big draws. They typically had age-appropriate activities in separate rooms, so everyone from young children to older teenagers were invited, and they came.
With the extra security of living on an Army base back in those times, my parents never felt a need to always accompany us street to street when we went trick-or-treating. The older siblings’ watchful eyes were sufficient enough. We would go building to building, street to street, moving with the crowds, in and out of areas. Upon returning home, we participated in the “dumping of the bags” so that my mom could inspect everything. Fresh fruit, popcorn balls, and any homemade goodies were immediately trashed. Decades before there was any such thing as the internet to amplify fears, my mom always erred on the side of caution when it came to us not eating homemade items from strangers. The wrapped candies were fair game, and often traded among us kids, based upon who preferred which type the most. That was only after mom and dad grabbed a few of their favorites from the piles, and dictated how many pieces we could eat that night before putting the rest away.
I can see it all like it was yesterday. Halloween on two different bases in Germany, Kansas, and Oklahoma, before my dad retired back in South Carolina, was great.
People don’t always think of Halloween as a “holiday.” I mean, it’s not like we get off from school or work for it. And it is usually considered something just for children to do — dress up, go door to door ringing on neighbor’s doorbells, collecting more sugary treats in one night than any child should eat in a year!
But as I think back on my childhood experiences, especially during times like these, I realize it wasn’t just about the costumes, the parties, or getting the candy. The adult in me now looks back in fondness for the family times we shared together. Having so many siblings made transitioning to each new duty station easier, as we adjusted to leaving old friends behind and making new ones in each place. We definitely took it for granted back then, and didn’t always appreciate having someone to be with, to play with, to grow with — to trick or treat with — as much as we should have. When you’re young, the last thing you think about is growing up or getting old. And deeper thoughts on family, life, and the bigger picture, are the farthest things from your mind.
Sometimes I grieve at what has been lost through the years. I pretty sure we didn’t understand what we had back then. But there’s no going back to a time and place that’s long since gone.
While most people welcome the Fall season in anticipation of football games, cooler weather, and the changing leaves, the lead up to Halloween marks for me a multi-month journey through several of the family holidays that have meant the most to me.
And now, as November enters the scene, this Fall, with everything going on in this year, has me feeling even more nostalgic than I have in recent years.
