Ah… Sacrifice

One of my new favorite authors, Juliet Blackwell and a group she blogs with, the Pens Fatales blogged today about sacrifice. They basically talked about everything from what they sacrifice as authors to the difference between selfish and selfless sacrifice. And about Sacrifice vs. Choices. It’s a fascinating topic actually.

What is it any of us sacrifice for what we care about? Whether that be our families, our friends, our jobs, our art, or whatever it is we want in life? And is it really sacrifice?

I mean – regardless whether my books were published or not, I’d likely still write them just because me, pens and paper go way back, as do me and keyboards.  I just can’t stop putting my thoughts to paper or hard drive. It’s a compulsion.  Sure, maybe if I wasn’t published perhaps I wouldn’t write with the same zeal and fervor, but still… I can’t shut up.

Even if I wasn’t writing books based on my experience with Daemonolatry and magick, I’d still practice magick, study the Western Mystery traditions, and experiment and record those experiments. I’d still practice the religion I practice, too.

So what do I sacrifice? Well people looking in might say, “You sacrifice time with your husband, family or friends.”

To which I’d reply, “Not really.”

My husband has his own hobbies and interests and I have mine. That doesn’t mean we don’t have activities we enjoy together. We do! We spend a lot of time going out to dinner, going to movies, watching TV, socializing with friends and traveling. We’re also childless so that frees up a lot of our spare time. And no – writing hasn’t robbed me of children. I also don’t sacrifice time with family because I have a day job working at the family business. I see my immediate family daily. I make time for friends, too. So really – none of that applies to me.

I have routine rituals and magickal working nights, too.

I don’t look at using my time to write as a sacrifice of my time, but rather better use of it. If I wasn’t writing  or doing some sort of magickal work I’d probably be sitting in front of the television watching Law & Order re-runs or doing something equally unproductive. Perhaps pestering a cat…