because I don’t have any reason to be.  Let me share the backstory.

Years ago–two Parliaments ago, I reckon–I promised myself that if the Parliament of the World’s Religions was ever in a place I could get to, I would go.  And this week it is going to be in Salt Lake City.

This week–the heart of the Samhain season.

Months ago, I thought long and hard about that earlier promise.  My finances were such that it was possible to get there.  So possible.

But it is this week, in the heart of Samhaintide.

I talked to friends who were going, who encouraged me. (Thanks to Macha Nightmare and Peter Dybing and Heather Greene and more more more.) I swear I thought so long on it and the possibility of it.

And then I prayed.  Truly.  Asked for clarity and truth and the sort of wisdom that can be tricky to acquire. The answer was clear-ish–do your work.

That seemed like confirmation–Parliament, here I come! But it became clear that that isn’t really my work right now, here in the heart of the Samhain season. My ego would love to wear some pretty robes and hang with interesting people and help Macha with the really cool play she’s doing.

Yep, my ego would love that so much. And she’d dine out on that for months, maybe years, to come.

So I decided to stay home and do my work.  And I’m not really jealous so much as I am sad to miss seeing all the wonders and beauties of a huge group of people coming together firmly in their own spiritual traditions and sharing what they do and who they are.

It is the best of us–loving, sharing, connecting, weaving community. It will be extraordinary.

But my work is here, amongst my people, in the heart of the Samhain season.