Throughout my life I have felt the presence of a Higher Power. An energy, greater than us, greater than the universe. But still here, with us, and observable to us with various senses. This "presence" has manifested itself in varied ways. From prophetic dreams in adolescence to viable, sensible energies throughout my teen years through the present (read There are no coincidences), I have always felt it near. Sometimes I questioned it, sometimes I railed against it when life wasn't going too well. But it was always there.

I have always loved nature and animals. I was raised in a more country-like setting, although it was on the outskirts of a city. I still long for nature and the country, feeling stifled within the concrete and starkness of cities. I've always preferred being among plants...lakes...animals, whether wild or tame. Why have I always felt such a kinship with nature? Unlike other aspects of life, I never really questioned it; I simply accepted it as a part of me. Now, however, I realize that in nature I feel the closest to that Higher Power. It is in all things, actually. If you but open yourself, and your senses, you can feel It. It is in the energy of life that surrounds us.

For the past few years I've made friends that follow various new-age spiritual paths, and I've been fascinated with the new information I've been picking up. It wasn't until a few months ago that I discovered, truly "discovered" (since I'd had exposure to it before) the path known as Wicca.

Why did this path speak to me? For many reasons. Wicca celebrates the God/ess in everyone and in all of nature. I have always felt this. Wicca believes in preserving the earth, celebrating and cherishing the devine that is woven throughout us and this planet we call home. This I have also always believed. Of course, I could go on, but the point is that the "tenants" of Wicca (see What is Wicca?) are ideas I have always felt/believed throughout my life, yet never knew a spiritual path exsisted that contained them all. People may say the presence I've felt is God, and that the things I've mentioned can be found in various forms of Christianity. Well, the presence I felt IS God; it is also the Goddess, and they are One (see What is Wicca?). But as I mentioned, there are basic "tenants" of Christianity I do not believe in, therefore I cannot be a Christian.

This leads to another point of Wicca that I embrace: that of respecting all belief systems. Wiccans do not preach, we do not evangelicize. Every person must follow their own spiritual path -- whatever that path may be. Only two "rules" govern Wicca: harm none, and the threefold law. Harm none is obviously self explanatory. The threefold law states that what you do (whether positive or negative) returns to you threefold.