Re-shared on Halloween 2024
From Richard’s Staff:
Richard was still aboard the Carnival Imagination for Cruise to Lose XIII on Halloween in 1997. Here’s what he wrote that day. 
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It’s the bewitching day! If I were not here on a cruise, I would be in New Orleans at Anne Rice’s home to celebrate with her and her eclectic set of friends! I’d better stop! This message is even scaring me!
Today is Halloween, and no, I don’t have a miniature candy bar for you, but I do have something that you can have right now after these seven days. You can’t get it ringing someone’s doorbell, no matter how pretty your costume is. Today’s word is “Youth”!
We all want to be and feel young. What is young? Well, there’s Lo Mei Young, and that’s on Melrose. Oh, that’s the Chinese Restaurant. 
Being youthful is characterized by vigor, freshness and enthusiasm! Did you receive that feeling on our Cruise to Lose? Exercise keeps you young! Not just at heart, but in spirit and mind. Eating healthy keeps you young, because it’s constantly feeding yourself the cream of the crop!
Ah . . . but feeling young! The mental youth is the hardest to achieve. Sometimes the outside ages depending on your genes and how well you’ve taken care of yourself. But a youthful mind is the winner of the prize!
I met people of all ages on this cruise, and the ones that may have had wrinkles on their skin had flawless memories and thoughts!
Oh! Tonight’s the costume party! What am I going as? You’ll find out tomorrow!
Now promise me something, because I’m not there to supervise. When your children come home with their bags full of edible goodies, or you are still going out trick or treating and will bring home a garbage lining bag — you know that Hefty family size, promise me something! Promise me that you won’t go through your children’s candy when they’re asleep! And promise me that you won’t count all the pieces you got before you go to bed! “Candy Girl (or Guy). Candy Girl (or Guy).”
Love,
Richard
P.S. So have you figured it out yet? Did you put on your Angela Lansbury hat or Inspector Cleaseau? Look at all the words of the day — Focus, Attitude, Maximum, Illuminate, Learning, and Youth. Take the first initial of each of the words. F-A-M-I-L-Y. This cruise has brought us closer. “We are a family. Like a giant tree. Growing stronger every day.” That’s from “Dream Girls”.
