Some Thoughts on Halloween

Austria doesn't really do Halloween like we do in the U.S. but there are some subtle reminders here and there that sort of put me in a Halloween mood. For example, this strange, hairy orange flower, for sale at a Vienna shop:

Or this broom and pumpkins:

Or these colorful pumpkins on stone steps in Durnstein:

And this iconic ivy-covered wrought iron gate and steps to a vacant lot in Hallstatt:

And then there are other, not so subtle reminders, like this winged skull in Salzburg:

Or this stone carving of a headless torso:

And this one. Gads, what an awful thought:

While we celebrate Halloween and try not to think too deeply about its aspects that remind us of our mortality, perhaps the reason it is not so celebrated in Europe is because there are many historical reminders here of death and horror. While history and carvings like these teach us about human capacity for cruelty, often motivated by greed, intolerance or anger, it seems that it takes much more strength of character to find the power and the path to kindness, understanding and generosity. Is there a fast track to making us truly civilized that doesn't include hard and awful lessons? Haven't we had enough of those?

Happy Halloween.