What The Shupe?!?

This column is an experiment. Like life. 

It is inspired by and at times penned by Mr. Shupe and his particular way of moving through the world. If asked, Mr. Shupe will sometimes reference a stoic mindset: the awareness that external events, the past, and the future are outside our control. We can only control our own attitude, words and actions while attending to the present moment. Stoicism is not the lack of emotion but an ability to step back from and examine emotions with curiosity. 

In this spirit, this column is a meditation on happenstances and reactions to the drudgery and amusement of everyday encounters. 

My parents hate Halloween. Growing up, my parents did not decorate the house and actively talked about how “scary” the holiday is - which meant it was intrinsically absurd. 

It was only when I met my wife that my perspective on Halloween fundamentally changed. As a costume designer, actor and director, Raven seemed to delight in all that goes along with Halloween - the pumpkin carving, homemade costumes, makeup, and so on. I was happy to learn more of these elements, considering how socially acceptable candy eating felt during this phase of the calendar year. 

Fast forward to having a trick-or-treating age child of our own, my feelings around child costumes started to form. Raven would hand make our family costumes, and we would wander the East Atlanta neighborhood basking in the surprises around every street corner and behind front doors. Costumes would range from the most intricately designed to the most basic - aka store bought. 

During this process learning how to adore Halloween, I started to judge trick-or-treaters who did NOT wear a costume. Raven and I would carry candy with us around the neighborhood calling out to all the kids that we had candy - kind of a “mobile trick-or-treating” service. 

For years I would feel frustrated by kids who did not dress up, but still demanded candy. I mean, how could you not put ANY effort into SOME kind of costume?

Then I matured. Kids want candy. It’s Halloween. Who cares if they don’t have a costume? They could be spending time lighting things on fire or choosing to vandalize or find ways to get into trouble. But instead they are asking for candy. 

Who am I to judge someone’s choice to wear or not wear a costume? And also: Who are you to judge? 

I mean, WTS?

Check out past What the Shupe?! articles: