I think Halloween is popular for a number of reasons.  The candy, of course.  But beyond that, Halloween gives us permission to put on costumes and disguises.  To try out new identities, with the safety of knowing it’s temporary.

For some, these costumes, these disguises are a natural extension of who they usually are.  For others, these costumes are a complete departure from their more usual personality.   

For my ten-year-old son, it’s a bit of both.  Over the years, he has celebrated Halloween by dressing up as a firefighter, Michael Jackson, a skeleton, and a magician, to name just a few of his costumes.

As for me, when I was teaching, costumes were primarily about ease and which ones required the least amount of preparation.  Over the years, I was a chef, a golfer, and a baseball player.  One year, my best friend and I dressed as “Fancy Nancy” of the Fancy Nancy books written by Jane O’Connor (which admittedly took a lot more prep, but was one of my favorites!). 

Now though, I feel as if I am always in disguise as I navigate my days as an “undercover disabled woman.” 

In case you missed it from a few months back, you can click here to be re-directed to The Mighty to read my personal essay, “My Life as an Undercover Disabled Woman.”