What does being a Pagan mean to me?

"When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation." ~Edain McCoy~

Being a Pagan means that I have a deeper connection to the world around me. I feel the magic in the wind and the changing of the leaves. I celebrate everything that the God and Goddess have given to me. I am tolerant of all religions, not seeing any as superior to another. I know that I am connected to everything that surrounds me and that everything is interconnected. I believe that nothing is wasted and that when we die our body returns to the earth and our spirits return to the universe to be used as the Goddess sees fit.

I do NOT worship a devil or any of his kind. I am responsible for my own actions and the way I live my life. I am also responsible for any spell that I cast and the repercussions of those spells. I abide by the threefold law, which states that any energy that I put into the universe, be it positive or negative, will be returned to me threefold.

Being Pagan also means that my choices in religion can and has driven people who I cared about away from me. Conversely, I have also received support from many people that I thought for sure would turn their backs on me. There are some ultra religious people who have surprised me by their support. To me, they are the Christians who truly understand and live their religion. I have a great respect for those people.

I have met many amazing women who share similar beliefs with me. I love having a community of people who understand the problems I go through, who have the same battles I do raising my son, and, yes, who also practices magic.

With all the good and bad things that have transpired since I came out as Pagan (and yes it really was a coming out) I still have to say, I love being me and I love the life that my family and I have created together!

~Blessed Be~