Change, A Found Love

Once upon a time, a long time ago, and by that I mean when I was naive and 7 years ago. I was working with a motley crew of witches that like to call themselves a coven, or a grove depending who was talking. Now, at this time I had been extremely solitary. Even with my family being the way they are, it is definitely not a group effort. So my understanding of things was limited to say the least. So the two that “lead” the group, were a Druid and something that resembled Traditional Wicca. So our group rituals typically combined both traditions and because of this when we called quarters the person calling would in all essence call out whatever came to mind because it added what we needed at the time. For example, if I were to be calling water and I said water please provide us with love and creativity, that’s probably what we needed at the time. Now, this particular instance we were celebrating Ostara, sitting in our favorite forest preserve acting like Pagan Royalty in this wonderful amphitheater in the woods, when we decided right before lunch was a great time to do ritual. So we lead our procession into the amphitheater, all fancy in our robes and we begin calling quarters. Now, we start in the East because that’s something Druids and Wiccans have in common. The lovely novice that typically called Air, stands up tall and proud like a true Guardian of Air and loudly announces; “I call Air! Please bring forth your Winds of Change!” and then and there, in the middle of opening the quarters, the Druid and the Wiccan slap their foreheads in unison yelling “dammit”.  As I’m standing there in the North quadrant waiting for the grumbling to end and an explanation to be had.  Mind you, Ostara is the Spring holiday, ushering in change and sunshine. Change was happening no matter what we asked of the elements. This is when the Druid gives us instructions to combat the Winds of Change. Now who am I to question them? They’re older (by a whole 6 years) and wiser (assuming you don’t look too much into it). I’m fairly confident I asked for strength to help us through the coming changes and challenges, but who knows this long ago.  The real question I should have been asking at the time, why fear the Winds of Change? Change is an important part of our lives. It’s how we grow and learn new things, and may the Gods forbid you ever get stagnant and boring. To be fair I have no idea what the Winds of Change brought me that year, but I do recall how ominous they made them sound. The Wind of Change sounds a whole lot more powerful and mystical than what they really are. All you’re doing is calling for Air to clear out some of the old, which conveniently, air wants to do anyway. It’s why the first thing we do on a wonderful Spring day, is open the windows. So why would our “leaders” insist that what he did was a bad thing and we needed to stop it or at the very least limit it? Mostly because they were cowards. Change is something to be celebrated! Wonderful things have happened to me while the winds were blowing me in all the weirdest of places. If it weren’t for the Winds of Change a few years later, I wouldn’t be currently working as a teacher at a wonderful preschool, or again to get the job at a new school. So the next time someone decides that the ominous Winds of Change need to be called upon, sit back and enjoy the ride.

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