At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.

There's something incredibly liberating about a holiday that encourages children to take candy from strangers

It is in these moments of tender and ridiculous nostalgia that I know something inside me is still broken.

Americans seem to be living in a state of fear about the world, one that just keeps intensifying. I mean, look at our cars and homes. They've become these massive barricades. Look at what we watch on TV and in the movies - it's all a bunch of violent ideation. And all these TV shows about dead bodies.

At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.

But I can think of nothing on earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night, which, for me, was ten to fifteen pounds of candy, a riot of colored wrappers and hopeful fonts,snub-nosed chocolate bars and SweeTARTS, the seductive rattle of Jujyfruits and Good & Plenty and lollipopsticks all akimbo, the foli ends of mini LifeSavers packs twinkling like dimes, and a thick sugary perfume rising up from the pillowcase.

Nothing on Earth is so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.