As a child, I always looked forward to Halloween, even if I had to wear a heavy coat over my costume. I dreamt about how long it would be until I could escape the tedious routine of school. However, all of those memories faded far away the older I became. And I realized that tomorrow, Halloween, is nothing more than the kickoff to the holiday season. Certainly, all the stores from retail, to pharmacies, to groceries have already been preparing us, but today, when I actually perused the calendar, I realized how swiftly the year had flown.

The best news is the election is in 10 days! The endless nasty ads will end and campaign literature will stop littering my mailbox. Tom and Tabitha Turkey have gone into hiding as Thanksgiving is a mere 25 days away. For those who celebrate Hanukkah, it’s time to find your dreidels, for your celebration begins in 49 days. Millions of children will delight in the arrival of St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Santa Claus in 56 days. For those of you mailing packages, the Post Office is recommending a date of no later than December 15. So you better get a hustle on, or do as I, and join Amazon Prime. If Amazon doesn’t have it, you’re not getting it!

Now, if this is not enough to boggle both your and my minds, in 63 days, it will be a NEW YEAR! A time for resolutions, albeit a time to make firm decisions to do or not to do something. When the newly-elected are sworn in in January, I hope and pray they have the fortitude and courage to resolve to bring put our American Humpty Dumpty back together again, rather than stroking their own egos and lining their own pockets. America is teetering; its el-hi educational system is faltering, violence is rampant, climate change is ravaging, and ignorance is flourishing. Time will tell.