What a surprise I had this morning, driving into town and coming across all sorts of people walking the streets in outfits more befitting Carnival in Trinidad or Rio de Janeiro. Hardly what I expected to see in conservative downtown Guelph!

I was even more surprised when I took a closer look and discovered that most of these folk were ”grown-ups”. Then I remembered … it's Halloween! “Ahhhh,” you say, “the spirit of Halloween, it captures us all.”

Indeed, most of us remember the excitement of choosing a costume, trying it on repeatedly, experimenting with make-up – making sure everything would be “just right”. And then, the day would arrive. As soon as the sun went down, we'd dash from house to house, then home to that wonderful, chocolate, sugar rush!

But these were grown ups. Mature adults. Bankers, engineers, store clerks and the like, brazenly strutting their costumed selves up the main street in the middle of the day! What had possessed them I wondered. What on earth was the appeal.

Is it that we want, even need, the opportunity to be something “extraordinary” – even if only for a single day? That we need an excuse to bring novelty, fun and joy into our working lives? That we dare not express our creativity, ingenuity and playfulness other than on these “childish” occasions

Or, are these in fact limited expressions and exposures of our true selves? Or the people we would like to be.

Whatever the answer, would that it were Halloween every day. I've rarely seen such spontaneous joy. I never had such good service. Nor so many laughs. A real treat!