Until the coals are all that's left

"The first story from the host, and stories till morning from the guest." Irish Proverb

Today I pitched this blog for the first time. I linked it on social media, and shared it with friends. I'm apprehensive, but excited. I've never done anything like this before. What I say has no more meaning than what anyone else says, so why am I saying anything? For what reason am I saying something everyday? The answer to both is the same. Pagans/Polytheists need to project our voices. We live in the din of the modern world, where we are diffused among a million screaming voices. All have merit, but it's easy to feel alone when your voice is the only one that sounds familiar around you. My goal is to add one more steady voice to the stream of our community. 

A co-worker from Eastern Europe asked about the origins of Halloween today. I explained to him as best I could the Gaelic origins of the time, and it's significance. Surprisingly, his culture has a similar holiday, with a similar meaning. The rest of the afternoon proceeded to be a litany of stories from his home, interspersed with comparisons to my childhood. While I consistently make a case for Pagan voices, I always want to press the reality of broader dialogue. Our stories, are human stories. His time spent leaving a place at dinner for the honored dead is only different from our practices in name. We do see things differently however. While he and others might find those experiences to be nostalgic anecdotes, to many of us they are intrinsic elements to our future. My job, and that of many other Pagans, is to continue our traditions because they are in danger of dying out. Like any flame under stress, ours needs breath, fuel, and constant care. My approach isn't to force the issue however. I want to cultivate that fire by bringing as many participants as possible. We won't continue as a few staunch hermits, but as a collection of gatherings. So I'll keep sharing each day, and I hope that a few of you out there find it reassuring to know that you have a tribe.

I am excited for what the future holds for myself, and all of us. Thank you so much for reading, and sharing.

Tapadh Leibh

Owen