Young Roots
What scares you?
By Johanne Margarette R. Macob
SINCE it’s Halloween time, and traditionally this season is supposedly about ghosts and ghouls, I’m reminded to write about scary things, at least, the things that I think are scary. This brings me to what my mom used to tell me when I was a kid, my crazy imagination getting in the way and putting all the scary monsters in my head. She would tell me I shouldn’t mind and get frightened by ghosts as they could only affect me to the extent that I let them. Though I still get goosebumps in dark places, hearing eerie sounds, I have learned that the things that really frighten people are not images of one-eyed monsters or of a white lady or of a half-body creature but those that impact on their lives.
Indeed, if someone had asked the five-year-old me what scares me, my reply would have been about monsters or losing my favorite toy or chocolates or candies. But if that same question were asked me today, I’d say the thing that scares me the most is death, not my own death but that of the closest and dearest people in my life. Perhaps to others, what could really be a scary thought is failing to attain their goals, like failing in their chosen careers or not earning a college diploma. But while these are scary thoughts, at least we can do something about these matters, can’t we? But death, the end of life, the end of existence of a loved one is out of our control. It is just around the corner. It is imminent. And just thinking about it already makes me sick.
Having realized this, I vowed to myself to face my fear by making the most out of my time with my family and friends. The fact is we don’t have forever. We only have a limited time. Yes, we shall pursue our dreams. We will be working our way up our respective career paths but we should never forget that people matter most – our loved ones must be our top priority.
I guess this the deeper meaning of Halloween observance. The costumes, the candies, the ghosts and ghouls- these are just instruments for a celebration. Just like other celebrations, Halloween enjoins participation from people. The Halloween is not here to scare us, but to remind us to do something about the things that scare us. It is but a happy event. It’s like Christmas and Valentine, it reminds us to stop for a whatever we are doing, and be together with our families and friends.
Happy Halloween!
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