I thought I had seen everything when I was sixty, but my daughter-in-law Blythe’s Halloween preparations made me think again. In her yard, there were life-sized witches that looked eerily like me, along with a sign that called me the “real evil” in the neighbourhood.
At first, I wanted to talk to her about it, but I decided to be nice instead. Kids now stay away from me because of Blythe’s joke. In order to get my image back, I turned my garden into a happy place.
I painted little pumpkins, set up a candy bar, and dressed up as a fairy godmother. When trick-or-treaters came, I made them feel welcome. The sound of kids laughing and parents being thankful drowned out Blythe’s scary party.
As she watched from her porch, she could feel how angry she was. When our eyes met, I waved to show that I knew her attempt to make me look bad had failed. Kids thanked me at the end of the night for making Halloween the best it had ever been.
Kindness was the best way for me to get what I wanted. I showed the neighbours the real me: nice, fun, and magical. There was no need for anger or conflict; just a caring, gentle approach was enough.
This Halloween story shows us that being kind can win over being mean. If you choose love, magic will happen.
