Hallow's Eve
I seem to have forgotten the importance of some holidays. For instance, to me, Halloween has become the time of year meant for adults to dress up and get drunk. Having Tayla around changed all of that. This Halloween I got to experience trick-or-treating all over again.
I am not so old to say that I don’t remember what it was like going door to door and basically begging people for candy, probably because I was still doing this well into my late teens. However, I have never just been a bystander.
There is something much more enjoyable for me in watching the preparation; the excitement in Tayla’s eyes all day was contagious. Watching her practically vibrating while we stuffed her into her minion costume had me in a rush to get out the door too. The whole night never lost its magic.
In the past, I remember getting bored after going to a few houses, but I wanted more candy, so I continued on. Tayla never stopped being excited. She would gush over others’ well-thought-out costumes and point out elaborate decorations. She couldn’t have cared less about the candy until we were home for the night.
At some point, she pouted her way onto my shoulders. Her little legs were tired from the strain of walking so many blocks. I suddenly had to walk up to doors, instead of just standing at the end of the driveway, and hold open a bag for her while she told strangers of how she ended up on my shoulders, as if they were her long lost friends.
No matter how heavy she got on my shoulders, the night never stopped being fun, regardless of the twinge of pain in my lower back from the added weight. I felt her squeeze my shoulders when she got a little scared and pet my hair in the middle of her retelling of the spooky moments from earlier in the night.
It’s moments like these when I feel complete. This could be the best decision of my life to date. Nothing can compare to Tayla’s happiness and wonder. I look forward to every new experience with her, no matter how terrified I am of some of them. I know she is nearing her teenage years, so I hold onto these moments because I know soon enough they will be over.
Photo CreditT: Sean Lalonde