NaNoWriMo: Day 2

Introductions and Salutations, among other things.
Name: Luna
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Marital status: married 5 years
children: yes – 3 girls

Today is November 1st. Last night was Halloween and the girls dressed up and went trick or treating with their father. Though today it is a secular celebration for costumes, candy, and fun, this used to be a very serious holiday called Samhain (pronounced sow-in) An ancient Celtic festival, it was celebrated on the last day of the Celtic year. This day marked the end of the summer and the start of the winter, which was oftentimes associated with death. The Celts believed the on October 31, the day before their new year began, the veil between the worlds of the living and dead were thin. They believed that the spirits of the dead returned on this day, mostly to cause mischief. They also believed that because the spirits were resent on this day that doing divination and making predictions were made easier. This Celtic festival was later mixed with a similar Roman festival called Feralia. Depending on cultures and upbringings, a lot would use Jack o' Lanterns to scare away any spirit who would cause mischief. Candles were lit and placed on windows to guide lost spirits home.

While my children napped yesterday, I set up my altar so to honor these ancient traditions that i, too, believe in. I took a large black candle and placed it in the center as a symbol for death. Surrounding the candle were pictures of skeletons and loved ones passed as well as dried flowers and small gourds, pumpkins and squash. I said a prayer to the gods hoping that all the dead were having a restful sleep in death, lit my candle and read the following poem to “anyone” listening.

Though your life force may be gone
Your energy still lives on
You visit us this time each year
We try to listen and to hear
For those whom from us depart
You will rest inside out heart
We pay homage to you today
'Til Hecate and Hades light your way

I left the poem on the altar and the candle lit for the rest of the evening.

We had an early supper so the girls could go out and trick or treat afterward. We placed a setting for any invisible guests and after everyone ate in silence, I took the food outside as an offering to both the dead and Mother earth.

The girls had a great time trick or treating with their daddy. Now that she's two, Daisy really enjoyed going out today. I had to stop Violet, though, from eating all of her candy. She thinks that since she's almost four she can make the decisions on her food. These kids are crazy. I stayed home with Zinnia and passed out candy. She was so cute in her pumpkin costume. Violet and Daisy went as a princess and a pirate. I dressed as a sexy fairy while Jay wore a super creepy mask. I told him it wasn't necessary. He has a natural super creepy face. Haha!

All in all it was a very eventful and fun day yesterday. I took tons of pictures and feel connected to those whom I've lost. A “new year” has started for me so I'm off to brainstorm on some goals to set. So fa all I have is “lose 10 pounds”. Haha!

The Cross and Crucifix
Stella called me last night wanting to know if she was right in saying that the cross originally was not a Christian symbol. I let her know hat she was correct and asked her why she wanted to know. Apparently a friend of hers told her it was blasphemy that she'd worn a cross when it is a Christian symbol and she's Wiccan and that she should take it off because it offended her. Stella was peeved and told her friend that the cross was first a pagan symbol but her 'friend' blatantly ignored her. People like her 'friend' make me want to punch them in the face for their ignorance.

Firstly, Jesus Christ did not die on a cross. He was impaled on a tree trunk that he had to carry with him as a punishment for his “crimes.” In the New Testament, the Greek writing mentions that Jesus was hung on a “stauros” as well as a “xylon”. Stauros means “upright pale or stake” while xylon was a large “stick, club or tree.” And even if he was hung on a cross, he died around 40 AD long after the cross was in existence.

Before Jesus' time, the cross represented the staff of Apollo. It had a lot of connections with the sun gods, the heavens, and the weather. Only were Christians were trying to convert did they adopt the cross as they're own. In some other places the cross was also used as a symbol of protection.

I don't know why some people get bent out of shape over symbols. They mean something different o different people. Stella's classmate is one example of what the cross means. To Stella it means protection. She wears it to protect her from harm. Unfortunately it doesn't protect her from the stupidity of others.

It just irritates me so much when people feel they are better than you just because of their religion. Nobody is better than anyone. All of us are all trying to connect with the Divine and are finding it in different ways. We all want something in the afterlife. Why can't everyone understand that?
Every Day
I was asked if i do magic every day. My automatic answer was no. I am way too busy to do magic every day. But then I sat down and thought about it. I *do* practice magic every day. It might not seem like magic to the untrained eye, but it totally is.

Every morning when I wake up to Violet and Daisy yelling and fighting at and with each other in their room, I take a few minutes to pray. Usually Zinnia wakes up at this time as well and while I breastfeed her I can lay down in bed with her and meditate with the gods.

Most days I pray for patience. I've spoiled my baby girls and I know this. Hell, I think they know this, too. With their daddy they are careful with rules and boundaries. With their mother, on the other hand... Well, they walk all over me. But I can't help it! They are just so damn cute! But because of it they stress me out to no end. Hence the praying for patience. They do love to press my buttons and if I don't meditate daily I just fucking fall apart. We end up having an afternoon where all four of us are crying for one reason or another at the same damn time. We're such drama queens. Haha!

On regular days I pray for their protection and health. Daisy and Zinnia are always at home with me, but Violet is in preschool now and I don't get to see everything that's going on with her anymore. She's an incredibly bright kid, but sometimes lacks common sense. She's still three, of course, and still learning, so she's prone to get hurt by herself or someone. I pray for that kid's safety every day and every chance I get.

All this recollection was what made me realize that i practice magic every day. Communing with the gods, even with something as simple as praying, is a magical experience that I make sure I do on a regular basis. I have to, though, or else I'd probably do murders.

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