In view of the upcoming celebration of the holiday (holy-day) known as Halloween, I wish to offer the following food for thought:

As an American of African descent among other ethnicities of which I am unaware, my observation is that the word “hallow” in “Halloween” pertains to sacredness and holiness. While we will be encouraging most in society to participate in activities involving witches, ghosts, goblins, jack-o’-lanterns, etc., the actual meaning of Halloween is “All Hallows Eve,” or the evening before a sacred day.

In addition to what we encourage our children to do while trick-or-treating, please consider taking some time on Sunday to give thanks to all of those who fall under the category of saints – those people who have tried by their actions to bring out the best in humanity.

Sunday (All Saints Day) appears to have been forgotten; instead, it should serve as a reminder to all of us to fulfill our true purpose on this planet. Regardless of your spiritual or religious preference, I am sure there is someone you can think of who is worthy of our gratitude. There are sung and unsung heroes in every culture; this is the time to honor their contributions to the well being of humanity.

E. Timothy Moore is the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, an associate professor in the department of Pan-African Studies and a guest columnist for the Daily Kent Stater.