The Ins and Outs of the Broom Closet

There are some good things about publicly being a witch:
1. You don't have to 'hide' stuff when company comes over. It's okay to have a full altar in the living room.
2. You can get away with some outlandish behavior because people think it's a 'witchy thang'
3. Halloween is can be more fun for you as an adult than it was in your childhood.
4. You don't have to explain your tattoos/hair/clothes/decor.
5. You can sleep in on Sunday.

But the bad side of being out:
1. Freaks! Strange people you have zero desire to associate with will gravitate toward you at the most inopportune times like when you are on a working lunch with your boss.
2. Jesus Freaks, not be confused with the ordinary freaks, who will make it their mission in life to save you from devil-worshippers that have clearly brainwashed you.
3. Witch wars. The largest waste of time and energy on Earth.
4. The Argumentative Ones. These are the people who think you are stupid for believing/practicing something they think isn't real. At every opportunity they will look for ways to belittle/humiliate/demean you.

The good side of staying in the broom closet:
1. You won't have to publicly defend your beliefs.
2. You can practice whatever form of witchcraft you like.
3. Being that your work is secret there is less of a chance of drawing negative energy to it.
4. There is less of a chance you will be fired from your job or shunned socially.

Some downers:
1. It will be hard to meet like-minded people.
2. You may be compelled by family to attend functions or events that go against your beliefs.
3. You might not feel comfortable in the occult section of the bookstore. You may hope no one sees you buying the latest pagan best-seller.
4. Obtaining supplies could be difficult. Your most likely source will be the Internet so you can't be sure that what you buy will be exactly like the photo on the website. Picking out a wand without being able to touch it is a lesson in disappointment.
5. You may feel guilty lying about your beliefs and lifestyle.

I'm not out, but I keep the door open. Kevin and my friends know, but my family does not. My co-workers speculate wildly. Sometimes this works in my favor- I had an office all to myself for the longest time because people were nervous about sharing with me. Sometimes a person will have a string of bad luck and it's my fault for 'cursing' them. I have my blog, but I would prefer that you not try to find me, please. I don't want a steady stream of people I've never met coming to my door for any reason. I am happy to answer questions via the comments section, but I do not want to invite you in, make you coffee, and entertain you for several hours. My time and my space are private.