“What are you wearing?,” asked my father. Reaching for my flower head wreath, I said “I bought it at the Renaissance Festival.” Frowning he asked, “Why are you wearing that?” “It’s Easter. It just feels right to wear it.” He made some sort of parental guttural sound acknowledging my response. Still frowning, he said after a pause, “Well, it suits you. But don’t go outside like that.”
“You’re Episcopal?,” I asked my friend, “You don’t seem like the religious type.” She smiled, “I was raised Episcopalian. I’m not sure what I am now.” I was certain of my identity, “I’m agnostic. I don’t know and I don’t think I care.” She crooked her head, “I don’t believe you. You’re one of the most spiritual people I’ve ever met.”
Several of us were sitting in a meeting room, discussing all things demography and beyond. “What’s Harry Potter?,” one of the girls asked. One of the guys answered with some detail and was delighted to do so. Another girl asked, “I don’t understand. What are muggles?” He answered with a serious tone, “People without magic. We would all be muggles. Well, except for maybe GG.”
These are echoes of conversations that led me out of the broom closet. I was a teenager for the exchange with my father, in my mid-20s for the conversation with my friend, and in my early 30s for the Harry Potter discussion. Cheezy as they may seem [Oy! Harry Potter? Really?], these conversations demonstrate what others saw in me, but I did not readily see myself. It wasn’t until my early 30s that I understood that I am Pagan.
The first person with whom I ever discussed my non-traditional (or uber-traditional — depending on how you view it!) spiritual leanings was Jax. I have always been considered an odd duck in my family; telling them I am pagan was not an issue and brought little to no conflict. Telling friends can still be a challenge, though no one seems the least bit surprised when I do. Admittedly, I don’t tell colleagues unless it comes up in conversation. No one discusses religion openly at my day job (thank the gods!), so I am confident and comfortable with this course of nondisclosure.
I feel some fealty to Wicca because it was the first genre of Paganism I explored, but I can’t say that’s exactly what I am now. I supposed I’m still figuring that out. I can say it feels right to meaningfully recognize the passing of time through the changing of seasons. This blog is a passion project for myself and Jax. We can’t help but believe there are other Pagans like us, who want to celebrate who they are openly, sans bitterness against other religions and with the hope of educating through inclusion. With this blog, we can discover together how to celebrate who we are and what we believe while not excluding friends and family of other faiths.
4 comments
T.K. says:
Aug 11, 2010
“I feel some fealty to Wicca because it was the first genre of paganism I explored, but I can’t say that’s exactly what I am now. I supposed I’m still figuring that out. I can say it feels right to meaningfully recognize the passing of time through the changing of seasons.”
I’m confussed! Are you saying the changing of one’s religious beliefs, over time, is analogous to the changing of seasons?
GG says:
Aug 11, 2010
Hi T.K.! Thanks for your comment.
No, I am not suggesting that changing of religious beliefs is akin to changing of seasons. I mean that recognition of significant change (be it seasonal, personal, etc.) is an integral part of my pagan practice. Is that true for you, as well?
GG
T.K. says:
Aug 11, 2010
Recognition of personal significant change is certainly something inevitable. I do believe that applies to one’s religious beliefs also. As children we don’t usually have a choice. As adults, we do.
I am of the Christian faith, but I do like to try to understand alternatives.
I will be following your web site.
Thank you for the reply. And I will assume you reside in a seasonal changing area, smile.
Jax says:
Aug 11, 2010
Welcome to the site, T.K.; I look forward to seeing what you have to say in the future. We hope to be a good home for people of all faiths; working and having fun together is the whole point of the site!
And yes, we reside in a seasonally changing area. We’ve got not-quite-summer, summer pt.1, inferno, summer pt.2, then back to not-quite-summer. It may not be what’s traditionally seen as changing of the seasons, but it works for us. (It’s not quite that bad.)
Tomorrow I’ll do my intro, and next week we start planning our first party. Content updated every Monday and Thursday! Hope to see you again soon!