And Sow, We Reap

Merry Meet Family and Friends,

This past weekend, I participated in two Lammas celebrations. Lammas marks the first harvest of the year, is one of three celebrated harvest festivals and heralds the coming of Autumn. It's also a time of reflection upon what we've accomplished or the blessings we have reaped in our lives.

One of rituals I attended was held in a beautiful 65 acre nature center adjacent to a wildlife preserve. After the rites had ended, I was sitting next to the fire, listening to the birds singing. Twilight would soon be approaching and I decided to take a walk down a path through the woods to see if I could spot the first little bats of the evening. I love bats!

I walked only a short distance when there, directly in the center of the path, stood a young tree that created a natural crossroads to what lie ahead. I considered choosing a path, but instead decided to honor someone who has, often in less than subtle ways, guided me along the way. Hecate, the Goddess of the Crossroads.

It is customary to leave food at the crossroads as an offering to Hecate, so I ran back to the pavilion where the ritual had taken place, snatched a mini muffin off the table and headed back down the path. I also brought with me, a single yellow rose.

When I arrived back, I knelt down to lay the rose and the offering at the base of the tree, only to discovered a large toadstool that had also created a perfect little natural altar for me to lay my gifts upon..and so I did.

I looked past the trees, gave thanks for my accomplishments, my blessings, the people in my life who have encouraged and inspired me and wondered what might await me on the path beyond. I realized then that perhaps for today, I had gone as far enough. For now, I am exactly where I was meant to be.