Maybe you’re like me. Maybe-- after spending so much time stressing out, wringing your hands, clutching your athame to your heart, and praying to the Mother Goddess -- you’ve finally decided to come out of the broom closet. For some of you, I know, this is out of the question. You could be disowned, kicked out and/or judged by closed-minded parents or peers who were raised thinking Witches are a bunch of nuts running around in black cloaks chanting Latin backwards. Often these people, after listening, learning, and meeting other Witches and then realizing that (gasp!) they’re normal, will change their thinking and start understanding where you’re coming from.

Sometimes, however, they won’t and they’ll continue thinking Wiccans and Pagans sacrifice small animals and burn down villages. If, however, things aren’t looking quite that hopeless for you and yours, there are ways to break the news to everyone without ushering in the Apocalypse.

The first thing that you need to remember is announcing, “Mom! I’m a Witch!�?isn’t the best idea. The fact of the matter is, she’ll probably either faint, laugh, or raise an eyebrow, none of which are reassuring reactions. Dealing with your parents is hard. If you’re like me, you love your parents. They’ve always been there for you, supporting you, backing you up. You’d never want to hurt them or discover that they’re disappointed in you.

Of course, you don’t want to keep secrets from them, either, and your faith is VERY important to you and this is something you want very much to share with the people you love. I’d suggest wearing a pentacle. Every Witch loves to wear this symbol of their faith, and wearing it outside of your shirt once in a while would be a good thing.

It worked for me, because my mom said, “What is that?�?I went on to explain that the pentacle’s points represent the five elements that make up our world: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Spirit. I told her that this symbol, surrounded by the circle, which is a symbol of protection and eternity, is a powerful talisman and beautiful in its own right. My mother respects this, and actually reminds me when to put it in my shirt when we’re going somewhere that’s not Pagan-friendly!

This little exercise may lead them to realize that Paganism isn’t Satanism, and will open up an opportunity for you to explain that it’s the symbol of Wicca, and what Wicca’s all about. But remember: you know your parents, and these are just tips. If you know this won’t work with your parents, take some of my ideas and make your own way to break the ice about Paganism.

Like most people, I bet you tell your best friends everything. That’s great! Sharing all of your secrets with people you admire and trust is healthy and necessary. However, you have to understand that not being honest with your friends about your faith isn’t healthy. The thing about friends is that they love and trust you for you: flaws, oddities, weird habits and all.

Telling your friends about your faith is easy: just tell them. Most of the time, friends will say, “Cool!�?and be fine with it. Very rarely will a good friend never speak to you again because of your belief in Wicca. If anything, a religious friend may try to bring you to church and convert you -- which is when you need to say, “I really appreciate you caring for me, and it’s sweet, but I have a religion, and I have a God and Goddess. Please don’t try to convert me anymore?�?

A true friend will get the picture. I’ve even had friends ask all sorts of questions about Wicca, and a few have become Wiccan themselves! Hey, I didn’t tell them to do it, they just did! Your friends will understand and care, no matter how weird they think you are!

You may be lucky enough to have a wonderful boyfriend or girlfriend! I wish you bright blessings and true love! Unfortunately, nothing is perfect, and you may have a boy/girlfriend with strong religious views contrary to your own. If you didn’t tell them you were Wiccan yet and you’re considering a serious relationship, it’s definitely time to come out of the broom closet.

With the person you love, it’s easier to sit them down and explain the Craft to them and exactly what you believe. At the very best, they’ll love you anyway and will support you in your Craft. At the worst, they’ll break up with you and you’ll know that you’re not meant to be with that person.

When I told my boyfriend I was Wiccan, he pretty much told me, “I have no idea what you just said, but it sounds cool, so just do your thing.�?He still really doesn’t know what Wicca is, only that involves smelly aromatherapy oils and little stars. We just go with that.

Remember, DON’T:.....

- Tell your parents (or current non-Pagan boyfriend) that you’re raising your kids Wiccan and that's the end of the story. That comes later. Maybe. Hopefully.

- Try to convert them. You’ll come off as kind of scary.

- Offer them spells. Let them ask.

- Drag them straight to the New Age section of the bookstore. I learned THAT the hard way.

- Expect them to understand that Lucifer is the Roman god of the morning star. Just don’t bring it up.

Try your very hardest to come out easily and painlessly, in a way you think your friends and family will accept. If they truly love you, they’ll accept you for who you are.

If you are part of a family where you DEFINITELY know that they’ll disown you, I’m so sorry. It must be very hard, but remember that you’ll be on your own one day and will be able to practice your religion freely. Just keep up hope, and try to make it to that day.

As always, I’ll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability, and I absolutely love reading your e-mails. Each and every one of you is special and blessed, and deserves only the best life can offer!

Blessed Be, and good luck!