Awww, Why Not?

Alright, so I've danced around with this idea of starting a blog for quite some time and decided to take the plunge. Seems everyone and their brother has their blog these days!

Just to get the "about me" out of the way.... 
I'm a retired hairstylist, and I'm disabled. I have Fibromyalgia, a muscular-skeletal connective tissue disorder. I'm in pain everyday, some days worse than others. You know how it feels when you have the flu or the next day after a heavy work out? Or if you suffer from arthritis? That's how I feel everyday times ten. That's why I retired at the age of 38. 

In addition, my mobility has been extremely limited, and the muscle relaxers I take for pain make me feel groggy. I no longer drive, so I rely on husband and my mom to take me to my bi-monthly appointments. Luckily for me, I was diagnosed in less than a year. It can take much longer for others, because Fibromyalgia mimics Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis among other diseases.

This blog isn't going to be solely about my illness, because I am more than my illness. However, I have to acknowledge and accept the fact that this illness has changed both my body and my life. 

These are things you can't write about on Facebook. These are things that friends from school don't know about me. I am not the person that everyone remembers from school or work. I was the quintessential social butterfly, weaving in and out of cliques and social settings at will. I had energy to burn. The girl who you couldn't keep off the dance floor, or away from a party. But like all things, the party has to end sometime.

But guess what? The essence of that feisty spirit still exists inside this body. My love of various cultures, religions and people, led me to study about them, and I have amassed a wealth of knowledge, inner peace and understanding because of it. Although raised a Catholic, I have studied Buddhism and Judaism, the Qabalah in particular, as well as Hinduism.

I really believe that I have been blessed with a gift of relating to, and understanding people. Even people online ;-) I "read" people very well. It's a gift my grandma, of blessed memory had. I like using the phrase "of blessed memory" when referring to someone who is deceased. It's something I learned from studying Judaism. 

My hope is that there will be something of value here for virtually anyone, whatever your background. The reality is, that probably won't happen, but that's ok. It's not as if my words are sacred scripture! But there might be someone looking for insight from someone who is walking the mystic path, which is not only difficult, but can actually be lonely sometimes. But the payoff really is worth it -- honest! Being spiritually aware is not the same as being religious. Being spiritually aware infiltrates every aspect of life -- as well it should.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but there don't seem to be a lot of women in the magickal community, particularly from the Hermetic side of things, speaking about their experiences either online or in print. I certainly support my sorors that I may have missed! The Wiccan side of things is a different matter. I can't speak on it, because I am not a Wiccan. I'll speak more about why in a future blog to come. Here's a hint: Responsibility 

Hope everyone is safe and warm!