The October Children

The Jack-O-Lanterns are lit. The candy is offered. The children are gathering. A night of celebration begins...

Santa lives forever, but the rest of us have only our stories (or our cookie recipe) to leave behind. For tonight, trade in the bonfire for the fireplace and listen to a few Christmas ghost stories...

A call in the night. A silent act of defiance. A pause before jumping into the unknown. Quiet moments before worlds are forever changed...

What secrets like inside room in the house that is hidden away from everyday view? What terrible identity lives beneath a playful mask? So much hides below the surface that rarely gets seen and should never be revealed...

It's time to cross over. Step across the threshold into a world where death is no longer feared, but a celebration of life before the end. Welcome to October.

This episode is my love-letter to some of the great stories (books/movies) that have come before. Please enjoy, and have an amazing (and terrifying!) Halloween!

For this episode, enjoy two poems and threes songs that inspire me every October. Pass along your recommendations to me as well so that I can expand my Halloween list!

The dead are done with us.

It is said that ghosts remain in our world because of unfinished business. What will remain unfinished if you were to leave today? Would it be enough to bring you back?

On Halloween, we wear masks to pretend we are something other than ourselves, something a little darker than who we truly are. For some, the human face isthe mask that hides the dark self. Halloween is the one night they can reveal their truth.

For our season one finale, we have two Jack O’ Lanterns that each have their own perspective on the living.Remember: children of October never grow old, and they never, ever die…

How do you cope with your mortality?Some raise a family to carry on their legacy. Some take risks to get the most out of life. Some create art (and podcasts) to help work through their constant fear of death. Take YOUR reason and share it with someone else. Everyone is terrified, but at least we are all terrified together. You'll never have to face the darkness alone.

Two lessons my mother taught me when I was a child: "Don't bottle up your emotions" and "a wound won't heal if you keep picking at it." Not everyone was lucky to have learned those lessons. Those that won't heal themselves are doomed to repeatedly open old wounds...

During October, remember to stop and smell the roses, pick those pumpkins, and… talk to owls? In this episode, nature speaks in different ways, and not listening could have grave consequences…

Finding the difference between a “friend” and a “fiend” is more difficult than noticing the letter “R”. A friendly face can bring bad intentions, and sometimes bad intentions can bring a friendly face to the rescue. Knowing how to tell the difference is the key to survival.

What does October mean to you? Is it the colors and smells? The cooler weather? Maybe, it's stumbling upon a horror movie marathon? October is here for your consumption. Add your own seasonings...