Tears and Laughter: Scary movies and Holy scriptures…

Growing up in Sandflat, we did not get overly involved in celebrating Halloween. We could participate in fall festivals, but my parents felt strongly that we should keep our involvement with the dark side to a minimum.

This resolve was further instilled in me during the summer of my ninth year of life when I watched the movie Poltergeist.

I think mostly it was the clown under the bed scene that did it.

I slept on the bottom bunk in my brother’s bedroom for months after seeing that little cinema clip.

And not to go digging up bones, but this was during his John Conlee and Hank Williams Jr. appreciation phase.

This was also before earbuds became common. It was the eight track tape days. He would snatch one out from time to time and replace it by slamming in more of the same.

I couldn’t complain of course about his music choices since I was a guest so to speak.

Besides, I could handle him singing about looking through rose colored glasses, I just couldn’t tolerate the thought of that clown hiding under the bed.

As a mom, like most all moms, I have had to wrestle with whether to allow the kids to be involved with Halloween since the oldest was two. Some people think allowing them to dress in scary costumes will land them in a cult. Some people drop them off and stand guard while the little ghosts roll yards. Others could care less.

I’ve always tried not to make too much of a big to-do out of it one way or the other since it is only one night a year. But as luck would have it, my sweet Melissa attained an appreciation for skulls and dark music when she was a young teen.

Her walls became a collage mapping her curiosity, documenting her interest.

Then last week she went to see the movie Annabelle. I did not want her to see it but, she is 17…and it’s a movie. Just not a movie for sensitive viewers. It’s a horror movie about a possessed doll from an antique shop. She said it reminded her of Raggedy Ann.

Actually she has repeated that to me several times over the past few days. She has been thinking about it a lot.

Besides having her little sister sleep with her, on her way out the door to dance class I noticed she was carrying a Bible with her. She told me she has three of them, that she was putting one in her car…just to be safe.

I have also noticed that the skull posters are coming down and the dark song lyrics have been suddenly replaced with new ones she has made using handwritten scriptures.

She wears a cross around her neck now, which she says she is never taking off. And she claims she is finished with horror movies for the rest of her life, that she wants no part whatsoever in the spirit world.

I have listened to and watched her with amusement. It has been a lesson in faith as a mother.

Sometimes…I guess you really do have to let go and let God.

Amanda Walker is a columnist with The West Al. Watchman, Al.com, The Thomasville Times, and The Wilcox Progressive Era – https://www.facebook.com/AmandaWalker.Columnist.

The above is a column from guest contributor Amanda Walker. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The West Alabama Watchman.