Before I get too involved in my life of travel, I guess I should explain a little more about my background.

I was born many, many, many moons ago (I think that's enough manys). It was a long time ago. I am Canadian by birth, YEA! CANADA! I am per my blood work and heritage considered to be 70% Native American Indian. A full blood father and a maternal grandmother of mixed blood.

Now the bad part of this was that I was unfortunately, yet fortunate to be of the last to be claimed by the government for redirection.

I am being polite. I have learned over the years that conditions did not change in the USA for a few more years, so I was lucky to be one of the last back home.

Regardless, it was determined that I needed to be declared a 'christian', yet not given choices. Before I was allowed to enter school, I had to be baptized and accepted by a church. I was baptized when I was born, because the priest at the Catholic hospital did not think I would live long. 'Boy, did I surprise him!'

Anyway, since my mother had been raised as a catholic, thus the hospital choice, I became a devoted Catholic. Mass every morning before I went to the public school. Our community was too small for a catholic school. I fondly (not) remember having to wear dresses with long sleeves and a lace head scarf. Hey, I even learned Latin, so I could understand.

Fast forward a few years. At sixteen, I left home to discover the world. After the restricted years, I wanted to be able to learn more about and claim my heritage.

Fast forward a few more years. I had been working for some time as an ICU Registered Nurse and decided to make the transition to the USA. During the immigration process, 'imagine my shock', when I learned that there was no recognition regarding the religious beliefs of Native American Indians. So, I began my search, I needed something that understood and accepted who I was. Sure, I could have just gone with Catholic, but in my heart, I was a Native American Indian.

I investigated everything out there except voodoo, it just didn't feel right to me. Catholics, I knew about, so I checked out Lutherans, Baptist (there are several types), Methodists, Jehovah Witnesses, Buddists etc. The list goes on and on.

Then, quite by accident, I learned about the Wiccans; even more interesting was the fact that it was an accepted and recognized belief or religion for Native American Indians, according to the US requirements. How ironic.

The roots that I learned were so close to the beliefs of the Indians, that I felt at home. And I found peace.

It was a few more years before I moved to the USA, but I had found myself and I could live with that.

Do we believe in God? We believe in a Creator.

Do we pray? We give thanks daily for that with which we have been blessed.

Do we work spells and magic? We work with natural energies that surround us, and if others think that is magic, so be it.

Our mandate is simple- 'If it harm none, so mote (let) it be.'

Sort of sounds like the golden rule, I remember the elders of the tribe teaching us before we were school age: 'do onto others as you would have them do onto you, but they added just do it first.'

One other thing about being Wiccan, is that I do not pray to, nor worship satan, he is an unknown to me.

In all the years that I have been Wiccan, I have learned that there are bad apples in every basket in life. I look for the good in people and situations. I am just me!

Now that is enough about Wicca, on with my adventures.


To be continued......