Celebrations: Beltane

Beltane is the anglicized name for the Gaelic May Day festival. Most commonly it is held on 1 May, or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In Irish the name for the festival day is Lá Bealtaine, in Scottish Gaelic Là Bealltainn and in Manx Gaelic Laa Boaltinn/Boaldyn. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals—along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lughnasadh—and is similar to the Welsh Calan Mai. Continue reading

Devotional: Sameness

Just a quick something. I had to go out to Los Angeles, California for one my endocrinologist specialist people. It’s 2,200 miles from where I currently live. The East Coast and the West Coast seem almost to be different countries in how far apart they are. I’d always heard so many things about how California was so different from most other states (mostly conjecture I admit, from people who have no clue), but still, I had a certain mindset when I stepped off the plane, and I was expecting to be chilled by the amount of culture shock.

I’ve never been so wrong.

I don’t know what I expected honestly. I mean, people certainly weren’t going to have two heads or anything. I just… expected more I suppose.

I was driving through the streets in the back of an Uber car and just watching as we passed people. And I felt no different. I looked around at the people we passed, and I was struck by the sheer and monumental thought of “We’re the same. You and I.” I realized they have the same hopes, dreams, and tribulations I do.

I haven’t really seen too many people just stop and realize that other people are, in fact, people. Individual people with individual…things. It was a little eye opening for me. I came expecting difference and instead experienced sameness. Instead of feeling lost in a sea of strange, I felt like I was welcomed.

Have you ever come across a situation where you’ve suddenly connected to someone you never expected to? Have you ever found common ground with someone different?

– Alfrún

Celebrations: Ostara

The spring/vernal equinox, in Germanic traditions often called Ostara, inaugurates the new year on the Zodiacal calendar. From this point on, days are longer than the nights. Many mythologies regard this as the time of rebirth or return for vegetation gods (e.g. Attis) and celebrate the spring equinox as a time of great fertility. Continue reading

Back, And With Some Answers

So, this year has definitely not gone the way I had intended. I’ve been absent quite a bit, and my studies have not followed the schedule I had hoped.

I’ve spent the past year trying to find a brain tumor, and after months of testing and many different specialists, we’ve at last come to some sort of a diagnoses. I’ve got AGHD (Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency) as well as hypothyroidism. This essentially means I cannot create the amount of growth hormone I need for day to day life. I can’t create enough energy, lose weight, and my brain goes through constant anxiety, depression, and panic. It’s been less than fun. The most common cause of this is, in fact, a brain tumor. I’ve had an MRI, and they found nothing, but the MRI might have missed it, the doctor might have missed it, or the tumor may be too small to see right now. I’ll probably be getting regular MRI’s from here on out just to make sure it *isn’t* a tumor, or it’s not getting out of hand.

BUT! It is fairly easily fixed. I’ll be taking daily injections of growth hormone, something I can easily do at home much like people do with insulin. So as I tweak my dose to what I require my energy levels should go up to where they should be (right now, sometimes I sleep 16 hours just to function), and I’ll be better able to deal with day-to-day life.

That being said, it might be a few months, so for those who check in, or use this site, updates might be sporadic for a but longer. I’m hoping that happens much less as the months go. So, thank you, to those of you who might be sticking with me, and keep on coming back. I’m not gone, just recuperating. Merry meet, and merry part.

Blessings

– Alfrún