Another year older. Today is both Frodo and C-M’s birthday.

What have I learnt in a year? What have we all? I’ve found myself and lost myself again, a year ago today was a very painful time for me, my Dad (grandfather) was not long dead and I felt the most pure form of pain I ever had. For a while I hurt, then I was numb, there is only so much contentment you can find in a grieving family, and yes it still hurts like the worst thing I’ve ever felt.

Daddy was more then a grandfather to me, he was a father, a friend, a comrad, a mentor, a teacher, a listener, my kin, my heart and everything I ever had known. Out of all the death in my life, his affected me more then any other, I thought he would always be there. Like the old river gums on the banks of the lachlan. I wish he never died, he wasn’t that old, he didn’t deserve it.

But death is not the final aspect of life, my Daddy believed in a lot of things, though he was catholic like most of my family I consider him more of a seeker then anything else. He believed that the soul was an ageless thing, reincarnating until all of lives lessons had been learnt. He believed in the earth, in nature, in our own powers. That religion was a personal thing and need not be classified as the three biggest, Christianity, Muslim and Jewish.

Am I any wiser for knowing him? Well I would like to think I am. Death is not the end all of life, but a new begginning.

Faith is something that should unite us, not divide us. In this world, you’re faith can be why you’re hurt, hated, abused, mocked and so many other things. It shouldn’t be though.

What else have I learned this year?

I’ve learnt that my friends are some of the most beautiful and kind people in the world, I’ve also learnt who my true friends are. I’ve learnt it’s okay to come out of the broom closet, to be myself.

Let me state this loud and clear;

I. AM. A. PAGAN. A Witch, actually.

*sees all the people hiding*

I hate that ‘witch’ is a bad word to most, it feels so beautiful to call myself that. There was a time when witch meant healer, wise one and so many other positive things, but you see fear twists peoples minds against things, and certain religions are good at fear.

I’m not saying I don’t believe in Jesus, but I don’t believe he was God. He was a very wise man with a good heart. Folks, whatever happened to ‘Love thy neighbour’? Jesus didn’t say ‘love thy neighbour if it suits.’ Or is that optional in todays world?

Whatelse have I learnt?

I’ve gotten better at design, I’ve learnt wordpress, I’ve learnt to hold my temper more often then not, I’ve learnt nothing is solved through pain and suffering.

What have you learnt?