Road Blocks Along the Path
I have been devouring books and articles from witchvox.com on Paganism and the more I read about it the more I know that this is the right direction for me to go on my religious journey in this life. However, since I read the books and articles while I'm at work or in the car with my Husband on our travels, I have come across some hurdles or road blocks along the way. The road blocks come from family and friends. I know these are not new road blocks by any means, but they are for me. Normally in the past if I came across a road block or hurdle I would just stop or turn around and go back, but now I find myself stopping just for a moment to figure out how to continue forward with my journey.
The hurdles with my family center mainly around my Mom. My Mom was, is, and most likely will always be a Lutheran; what I was born and raised to be also. Well she doesn't look at Paganism as evil, as some would, but she doesn't quiet grasp the concept of it. Since it is similar in many ways to the Native American shamanism that interests her, and some of the Irish Celtic background that interests me, Well you can guess that is part of how I explain it to her. Another way is that I am trying to find ways to control my gift that was possibly passed on through my maternal grandmothers side of the family. You see I was blessed with the gift to sense energies, good to bad and everything in between, and just within the last 10 years or so here I have been able to hear spirits and sense when family members that have passed on to the Summerland are around. She is buying it so far, a little on the side at times I think only because she has not had the courage to try and figure out how to control her gift, which she calls a curse. Personally it is only a curse if you view it that way.
Next friends, or more like co-workers. Luckily I have a very open minded boss who feels your religious beliefs are you own as long as they don't interfere with your work. However, one of my co-workers, before he got another job, was a strict Catholic and well we would get into some debates regarding religion and I believe that's all they were was debates because he liked to argue and press buttons. Now I have another co-worker who is strict Bapist, I'm sure you can guess where I am going with this one, right. Well he feels that his bible is right and true and has offered to sit down with me and go over the bible with me if I so choose to. I have told him that right now I am just doing research on Witchcraft and Pagan religions to help with a book I'm writing and that I was interested to see what was out there as I grew up sheltered in Christian faith. He bought that and told me that his offer stands for anytime I would like to talk.
Now my husband on the other is the opposite of everyone else. He is very supportive in my journey. He was born and raised Roman Catholic as was his mother, his father was raised in the Morman faith, but the family has always been interested in Native Americans (their faith, way of life, etc.) and very opened minded. I have not had a chance to let his family know what path I have chosen to follow, but know that they will be as supportive as he is. My husband listens to the articles I read, will look at the websites I have book marked about Witchcarft and will even do his own research for me, recently he purchased "The Witch's Shield" by Christopher Penczak for me since I have been wanting to learn how to protect myself.
As I said earlier I know that there are plenty more hurdles and road blocks for me to get over or around, but I have made it this far and I don't have plans on turning back now. May your journey in this life be as forward moving as mine.
Keep thinking creatively and open mindedly.