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Health & Fitness

My Closets

A look into two parts of my life: being a gay teen, and a teen witch.

Hello Patch readers! It has been ages since I have last posted on here, but I only do so when the juices flow in the right way, and man are they finally flowing again!

I was just on the online newspaper sight, and an opinion piece got me to thinking about what it means to be me, and misconceptions about what I am. This, my friends, is me coming out of a few closets for you today.

Traditionally speaking, "coming out of the closet" is known in one fashion: Telling people you're homosexual. Woop-dee-doo.

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This is not the main closet I wanted to open today, as it has been blasting its Diana Ross on the corner of Redwood and Castro Valley Boulevard for almost a year now, and I don't want to be redundant.

Many of you who know me may not know this about me, but it is nearing my senior year, and I'm finally comfortable with it myself.

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I don't have a limp wrist or a lisp, I don't wear dresses, and I'm by no means a girl. I don't shave my legs, nor do I play sports. Most of my friends are girls, and I don't try to get into every guy's pants that I see. 

I am Justin McLean, a 17-year-old male who is normal in all regards. I love to read and write, go camping and hiking, I bike around town, I cook and garden, I play video games, I do archery, I participate in sword fights, and I could go on.

My point is that I enjoy many things that can be seen as feminine and masculine. Some may call me closer to metro-sexual, but I am a guy who likes guys, that is all. I'm the same as anyone else. I can have guy and girl friends, and I'm not contagious. 

My main reason for writing this post is just to clear up some things about my religion. I've been called a satanist, devil worshiper, evil, bruja, etc. by friends, family, and strangers.

I wear a five-pointed star around my neck every day, and I am proud to be a witch. My religion is Wicca, and it is a peaceful religion who's main goal is inner peace, connecting with nature, and learning how to make the world a better place for everyone to live in. Here's where it sort of turns into a class almost.

There is a VERY well-known and respected law in Wicca that can be interpreted in three ways: The rebound/boomerang/returning law of threes. There are many names for it, but the premise is that when you do something good, it will be returned to you, like karma, three-/seven-/nine-fold. The same goes with bad deeds you have done. No matter what you do in the practice, this is a big deal with many wiccans, and all that I know abide by it very carefully. 

There is generally no patron gods or saints, but you are free to pick and choose which pantheon you would like to worship. Roman, Greek, Norse, Christian, and Native American gods are all options.

The way I see it, they were worshiped by some people at some point, and they thought them as real as some consider Jesus. In 2000 years, people may laugh at christians for believing in such a thing as Adam and Eve. What was potent once can be potent again, I suppose is the point.

Many also believe that there are two over-ruling deities that are the main gods to Wicca: The God and The Goddess. The God is seen as the sun and encompasses male energies and attributes. The Goddess is the moon, and Feminine powers and things. Also, some believe in the Gaia theory, saying the earth is a living being, spiritually in tune with itself and all who live on it. Her name is Gaia, and she is considered the Earth Mother.

Magic is an important part of any Wiccan's beliefs, as I've found. They don't involve snails and tails of adorable puppies, but mostly herbs, oils, and candles. Other implements can be used as seen fit, but there are attributes we believe exist in certain things, and we try to ask to borrow and use said attributes. Some ask Zeus, God of the sky, for safe travel in a plane. Others thank Flora, Goddess of the forrest and plant life for successful gardening skills. 

I hope that this quick over-view of what Wicca is for me and many others has shed some light on what we are and what we do. Pro-peace, love forever everyone, and karma on steroids. I am not sure why satanic worshipers chose an UPSIDE DOWN pentacle, 5-pointed star, as their symbol, but a good witch carries one with the point facing skyward, to avoid further confusion.

These are my closets; Broom closet and rainbow. I'm proud to be both!

Funny story:

Once at my friend's baptism, I came to encounter a little boy and his mother. In the back, I politely declined communion, and the priest respectfully touched my head instead. I could almost feel the divine power invested in him... or was it his calming presence?

Anyways, the boy asked why I didn't take communion and if I was a devil guy. His mother was appalled, and apologized to me very fast. I didn't mind, as he was still young.

Later, though, as I was fixing my collar in the bathroom, I perchance encountered him once more. Only this time my necklace had worked its way between my shirt's buttons, and he saw it.

The mother was in near panic mode because of my star in her church, and my friend touched me with holy water to calm her down. To this very day, every time I go into that church for a Christmas concert or a play, I get the urge to touch the holy water and recoil as if it had burned me, just as a sarcastic joke to make my friend laugh, but I know other patrons would not take it well, and I wish to show respect.

Anyhow, thanks for reading! =]

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