This past weekend, I attended the 20th Annual Pagan Picnic, held here in St. Louis. As a Wiccan who does not practice in a group, no, wait a minute, Coven is NOT a dirty word! As one who does not practice in a Coven, it is a great time for Witches and other Pagans to get together with others of like mind, to just be together, hang out and mingle with each other. The Picnic gets bigger every year, and there is always lots to do. Plenty of vendors, food, music, workshops, and even fun things for the kids to do.
But something occurred to me as I was on the way home on Saturday. We all have such busy lives. Home, spouses, kids, jobs, and all the other little things in between those big things. Like everybody else, I too have all those things to deal with. I work 40 hours a week, have a husband and home, my kid comes in the form of a 50lb Border Collie Mix, who knows without a doubt that the Universe does, in fact, revolve around her. I have bills to pay, and just generally things that need tending to. Also, as someone who is hopefully in the process of changing careers, I am in the thick of that as well. I realized that in the midst of that whirlwind, more often than not, on a night of the Full Moon, or a Sabbat, for those of you unfamiliar, a Wiccan holiday. The last thing I want to do is peel myself up off the couch, go into the spare bedroom where my altar is set up, and light a candle. Simple explanation, I feel as though don't have time to "be a Witch".
People of all faiths will tell you that it is not how many times you warm a church pew, or pick up your sacred book, which ever one that may be, it is about what is in your heart that counts. I agree with that for people of all faiths. But how many of you, when life just seems to keep throwing things at you, all of a sudden look up and realize that it has been a month or more since you have been to Church? Wow. Now THERE'S a concept! It happens to ALL of us!
I think that most of us will also say that our faith is ingrained in us. It is part of who we are as individuals, part of what defines our identity. For a lot of people, they were born into their respective faiths. It is all they have ever known. I certainly don't diminish that. I however chose mine. Although my family and friends may say that I was always a Witch, I just found a name for it. I don't ever want to feel as though I am short-changing something that I freely chose to be. Could it be that this faith thing takes some effort? Some time set aside out of your day with no excuses given? Seems like something you would automatically know to do, like brushing your teeth. But maybe some of us have harder heads than others.
Well, I have had my Pagan Fellowship fix for now. I say that I would like to get more involved with the group that puts on the Picnic every year. It would be nice to have that being together feeling more than once a year.
But like a lot of things, it begins at home.
But something occurred to me as I was on the way home on Saturday. We all have such busy lives. Home, spouses, kids, jobs, and all the other little things in between those big things. Like everybody else, I too have all those things to deal with. I work 40 hours a week, have a husband and home, my kid comes in the form of a 50lb Border Collie Mix, who knows without a doubt that the Universe does, in fact, revolve around her. I have bills to pay, and just generally things that need tending to. Also, as someone who is hopefully in the process of changing careers, I am in the thick of that as well. I realized that in the midst of that whirlwind, more often than not, on a night of the Full Moon, or a Sabbat, for those of you unfamiliar, a Wiccan holiday. The last thing I want to do is peel myself up off the couch, go into the spare bedroom where my altar is set up, and light a candle. Simple explanation, I feel as though don't have time to "be a Witch".
People of all faiths will tell you that it is not how many times you warm a church pew, or pick up your sacred book, which ever one that may be, it is about what is in your heart that counts. I agree with that for people of all faiths. But how many of you, when life just seems to keep throwing things at you, all of a sudden look up and realize that it has been a month or more since you have been to Church? Wow. Now THERE'S a concept! It happens to ALL of us!
I think that most of us will also say that our faith is ingrained in us. It is part of who we are as individuals, part of what defines our identity. For a lot of people, they were born into their respective faiths. It is all they have ever known. I certainly don't diminish that. I however chose mine. Although my family and friends may say that I was always a Witch, I just found a name for it. I don't ever want to feel as though I am short-changing something that I freely chose to be. Could it be that this faith thing takes some effort? Some time set aside out of your day with no excuses given? Seems like something you would automatically know to do, like brushing your teeth. But maybe some of us have harder heads than others.
Well, I have had my Pagan Fellowship fix for now. I say that I would like to get more involved with the group that puts on the Picnic every year. It would be nice to have that being together feeling more than once a year.
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