Samantha Chaffin
Editor-in-Chief
The word heroism often includes connotations of grand, over-the-top gestures or actions, out of reach from ordinary individuals.
One dictionary definition of heroism is “great bravery” with synonyms including courage, valor, boldness, audacity and fearlessness all of which tend to fuel the connotations of impossibility often associated with the word.
Regardless of connotations, as the Halloween holiday approaches, it is easy to lose sight of things so simple and basic as safety and patience. This is especially true where this years’ holiday falls on a Friday.
That said, the heroism in Halloween comes from keeping those small but vital sentiments in the forefront of our celebrations this season.
The dangers of Halloween are not limited to children, but extend into the teenage, young-adult and adult community in a colossal way.
The fact of the matter is, although parents are often most concerned about poisoned candies from strangers as they take their children trick or treating, there has never actually been a documented case of this common phobia in the U.S., according to a recent article published by USA Today.
One thing parents should actually be focusing on in terms of safety is something we should all focus on: cars– especially drunk or otherwise intoxicated or inattentive drivers, whether we are behind the wheel or pedestrians on the road.
As college students, most of us have either witnessed or been one of many individuals roaming the streets with cellphones and other distractions like friends, pets or destinations, paying little to no attention to oncoming traffic. This danger increases exponentially on Halloween as kids, parents, teens and categories between and beyond hit the streets.
In addition, drunk driving on any given Friday night, let alone Halloween, is a risk factor.
Aside from being aware of and reporting potentially impaired drivers, I hope that you will make a conscious decision to celebrate safely for the sake of yourselves, your families, your friends and unrelated celebrants of the Halloween holiday this year.
If you drink, don’t drive; and don’t let your friends, families or that random person you just met drink and drive, either. Your decisions affect the safety of others.
For those staying in or making it a point to hand out candy this year, the cliché “patience is a virtue” is one to remember this and every year.
Children and parents of all demographics, backgrounds and ability levels will visit your home on their trick or treating route, and it is important to be accepting of every individual we encounter.
Children grabbing for more than one piece of candy may not be spoiled or poor-mannered. Rather, they may have poor fine-motor skills, autism, Asperger’s, or other issues invisible to the eye.
Similarly, the child who spends several minutes selecting a piece of candy from your bowl could have comparable conditions or motor planning issues, and the child without a costume could be dealing with a sensory issue, autism, or a range of other matters.
A child who does not say “trick or treat,” “please,” or “thank you” may be non-verbal, while the disappointed look on a child’s face after seeing your bowl may be the result of an allergy, not a lack of appreciation.
A few moments of patience and understanding can make all of the difference for these parents and children who deserve to experience and enjoy the holiday like everybody else.
It’s everyone’s Halloween, and everyone deserves to enjoy a safe and fun celebration. Let’s help create that for the ISU and Pocatello community this season by being mindful.
Let’s be heroes this Halloween.
