My daughter’s former school disallowed any Halloween superhero costumes.  While I understand banning toy weapons for safety reasons, I don’t find this idea to be particularly grounded.  It’s actually antithetical to human nature, the encouragement of service and courage, and fosters a fertile breeding ground for predators.

In any case, she used to go as her version of Mulan, our legendary heroine who saves her people and family.   My favorite part of that story is when she refuses a high position at the royal court despite deserving it and returns home.

“On her return she sees the Son of Heaven,

The Son of Heaven sits in the Splendid Hall.

He gives out promotions in twelve ranks

And prizes of a hundred thousand and more up.

The Khan asks her what she desires.

Mulan has no use for a minister’s post.

I wish to ride a swift mount

To take me back to my home.’”

Someone also once referred to me as a “Good Christian man.”  I cringed and quickly moved to dispel this label.  First, it isn’t true in any sense of the words.  Next, what an unbearable burden to carry and impossible standard to live up to.  I do not want to carry this around in any form.  I had a code to live by and I did my best in that regard. Whether I lived up to that is for others and God to judge. It matters not how laced with punishments the scroll.

Humans are beautiful and broken at the same time.  I saw a wide range of humanity- from those who committed heinous crimes to the so-called cream.  To tell the truth, sometimes I couldn’t tell much difference – and I don’t mean that in a cynical way.  Some of the calmest people I’ve encountered were convicted murderers.

There are monsters out there but most of us are somewhere in between.  I see life as a batting average anyway.

Someone also told me they would pray that my daughter would be a “Good Christian girl.” I’d say good luck with that one.