It is what it is (10.30.24) – Jen Brien

by Jennifer Brien, contributing writer, opinion

HEY GANG!!!!

BEFORE the world implodes with the election just days away, I thought we could all take a breather and relax a little… nothing intense here this week…. well, except for my last piece… but it’s not about politics or cultural strife!  So, enjoy this week’s commercial break and I’ll see you back here next week AFTER the election day MESS!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!  DID YOU KNOW?

A bag of typical HALLOWEEN treats can contain around 4,800 calories. The average child consumes between 3,500 and 7000 calories of candy on HALLOWEEN which is equivalent to 13 BIG MACS!!!

Scottish women believed they could see their future husbands on HALLOWEEN NIGHT by looking at wet SHEETS

In the 1940’s Trick or Treating was temporarily banned due to SUGAR RATIONS

The Halloween classic, “HOCUS POCUS”, originally started as a bedtime story

M&M’s are the MOST POPULAR HALLOWEEN CANDY!

Illinois grows most of the pumpkins in the country!

—————————————–

FUN FACTS ABOUT HALLOWEEN:

ORIGINS: Halloween originated as the GAELIC festival of SAMHAIN which was celebrated around 600 AD. The Celts believed that the wall between the spirit world and the human realm thinned around this time of year.

TRICK OR TREATING: THIS tradition comes from the ancient practice of “souling”, where children would go door to door asking for food and money in exchange for praying for the souls of the dead.

BONFIRES: The word “BONFIRE” comes from the phrase “BONE fire”, which originated during SAMHAIN when priests would throw cattle bones into flames.

SAMHAIN: Is the ancient Celtic tradition CELEBRATING THE END OF THE HARVEST season welcoming winter. Modern witchcraft practitioners still celebrate it to this day. It is believed this is when spirits roam freely in the mortal realm.

SCRYING: In the Victorian era, women on Halloween would sit in a darkened room staring in a mirror hoping it might reveal the face of their future lovers. SCRYING is still common today among witchcraft practitioners who stare into obsidian mirrors for insight into the future.

In Alabama it’s illegal to dress as RELIGIOUS figures for Halloween

MICHAEL MYERS’ mask in the film “HALLOWEEN” was originally a CAPT KIRK mask!

HARRY HOUDINI passed away on HALLOWEEN in 1926 (he performed at the “STADIUM” IN WOONSOCKET RI, BTW!)

———————————

THE HISTORY OF THE OUIJA BOARD

The OUIJA BOARD originated in the United States during the “SPIRITUALIST MOVEMENT” after the civil War. Many people were left traumatized due to the war and wanted to communicate with the dead. It was invented by Charles Kennard and Elijah Bond who were not spiritualists themselves. The board was named by medium and spiritualist Helen Peters Nosworthy in 1890. Nosworthy claimed the board itself told her the name, which meant “good luck”. The Ouija Board was originally marketed as a way to answer ANY question, but it gained its reputation as a tool for spirit communication.

JACK O TURNIPS?

DID YOU KNOW the first ever Jack O Lanterns were originally MADE OUT OF TURNIPS to ward off unwanted visitors! 

THE WHITE HOUSE IS HAUNTED!

“Everyone loves a haunted house on HALLOWEEN, but did you know the United States’ most famous address has had several reports of eerie sounds and ghostly appearances, and that’s not even in an election YEAR!!! The most common ghost sighting is of ABRAHAM LINCOLN who has been spotted by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Queen Wilhelmenia of the Netherlands, and Sir Winston Churchill. Other paranormal guests include Andrew Jackson and Abigale Adams.”

CANDY CORN was originally called “CHICKEN FEED”!

——————————–

RUN YOUR RACE

I’m sure many of you have heard that phrase over and over throughout the years, but what exactly does it mean? Ya sure, of course it means keep going… kind of like in the film FINDING NEMO, “Keep swimming”… but in biblical terms it means that the race of life is a spiritual journey that requires focus, determination, endurance and our eyes set on GOD. The Christian life and endurance sports have many parallels. The runner who wins the race is the one who ran with everything they had, to finish and win. The Bible tells us to run or DO LIFE with that mindset. I’m mentioning this because last Sunday I ran a marathon and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. For me, it was harder than boot camp.

I started training in June and ran all summer in the heat, in the rain, early… late… I was bored, and lonely some days. The long runs were difficult when I was exhausted, and I fought my own mind telling me to stay home on the couch almost EVERYDAY. HOWEVER, I was hell bent on doing this and finishing what I started after Ron died because I knew everyone was waiting for me to collapse. Not this time. Nope. I’m running my race. I planned it all out, had everything I needed, got the gear, a great parking spot on race day, my diet was good, I felt ready and strong…. I controlled everything I could and did my best believing this was in the bag. BUT – as soon as I got to the start line it all unraveled. From the moment the gun went off, everything went wrong. My watch to track my progress and speed malfunctioned, I felt my knee pop at mile 13 which got worse and worse as the race went on, and then my headphones mysteriously died at mile 18, so I lost my music and motivation.

THIS had never ever happened to me before… NONE OF IT…. but of course, on race day… it did. Make no mistake, mile after mile I thought, “I cannot do this”. I don’t have it in me. I thought about getting in the “loser cruiser” and carted back to my car, but I realized in that moment how messy life can be even when you’ve done all that you’re supposed to, and done things by the book. The phrase RUN YOUR RACE was about THESE moments… the messy horrible moments you didn’t see coming.

I started praying as I forced myself to go on. By mile 25 and nearing the finish line my knee gave out totally and the woman behind me stopped and encouraged me. She said “don’t you quit… you’re almost there”. I knew God had sent her and lined up that moment for me with that encouraging word. That made me cry. She was so kind to do that, and I’ll never forget her.

I somehow was able to run to the finish line and I thanked GOD and prayed as I hit the time mat with my last steps. I realized in the end, the only way out is through it, and we are all STRONGER THAN WE THINK. Life is so HARD and uneven, and unfair, and confusing and some days, just UGH… AND THAT’S when we keep going with endurance and courage.

I let go of Ron last Sunday after the race… and said goodbye. I ran that race for him, for me and for God… but now it’s time to find my way down a new path, running along the windy trails of life, but never running alone… just running my race one step at a time… with endurance and my eyes set on God.

That’s all I got this week gang. IT IS WHAT IT IS.

Till next week,

Jen

___

Jen Brien has over 20 years of radio broadcast experience having hosted shows on WPRO and WHJJ with Ron as well as her own shows on WRKO and WBZ in Boston, WXTK on Cape Cod and WHAM in Rochester, New York. Jen was born and raised in Woonsocket and served six years in the Army MP Canine Unit.

To read more columns and commentary by Jen, go here:

Jen Brien