Like the Graceful Dolphin, I shall Dive into the Chaotic Oceans!

Ok, I have a pickle.

              Currently, my patron God is the Daghdha... the Good God. No, he's not called the Good God because he's uber nice or anything like that, although he is a very benovelent God, and is one of the original figures of " Santa Claus ". He is called the Good God because he's good at what he does... UBER GOD!!! LOL. Anyways... I'm in a pickle....

               I love the sea. Ahhh...the deep blue sea... peaceful and chaotic in unison... waves crashing, dolphins playing, whales singing the song of the deep... my home. My cool, peaceful, soul healing home. My love for the ocean started at age 12. It was my first trip to the ocean... and I was in awe. The power, the beauty, the salty smell... the dark clouds above with light pouring through to unmask the beauty below. I felt very small next to the ocean... but in a good way. Here I was, a little, tiny human...standing there...with a whole new world before my eyes... When I close my eyes I can still see it...feel the excitement... hear the waves... the seagulls... feel the energy rising within me... as my soul sang sweetly in joy..." Behold...I have returned to you... ". My parents had an awful time trying to pry me away from the water... I didn't want to leave... I was at home... Floating on the waves... giggling as seaweed touched my face... Feeling the tiny grabs deep within the sand, pinch at my feet... Oh the joy in my heart... Then it happened...something very important...

             The current grabbed me before I could realise what was happening... When I opened my eyes... I was far away from my parents...and I was very far from shore. I began to swim...fighting hard against the current that wished to take me to the other world...before I was ready to go. The more I fought...the farther I was. The life guards were busy showing off their tans to the beautiful men and women on the beach... no one saw the little girl who knew as the waves were crashing over her...she was fighting for her life. The rest of what I remember is like a slide show... a desperate prayer pleading for someone to see me...someone to help me... Then I felt something smooth... against my leg...there it was again...smooth...sleek... strong...powerful... " SHARK!!! Oh God a Shark!!! " Thats what my first thoughts were... " Please God...don't let me die like this... not like this..." My head burst out from under the sea... My lungs ached as I gasped for one last breath... then... I saw Him... So beautiful... Gods...my eyes are tearing as I see His face in my head...in my heart... A dolphin... The oceans ancient guardians... our brethren... He was talking to me... I understood what he said... " Grab hold of my finn... I will help you get back to the shore...don't be afraid... the sea protects its own...". Fear washed away as joy filled my heart... surely...this only happened in the movies, right? Dolphins don't really save people, do they? I smiled into the friendly... aqua green eyes of my sea dancing savior... I grabbed onto his Dorsil Finn for dear life... and gasped as He took off...light a bullet... cutting through the water like a knife... Before I could say thank you... I felt a strong hand grab my arm and pull... My dad grabbed me in a tight embrace... I got only a glimpse of a tail sinking back into the deep... My parents made me sit on the beach for a few... but I wanted to go back...I needed to...I wasn't afraid... The dolphin was right...I knew He was right... the ocean took care of me...I was a part of it... as I ran down the beach with a large smile on my face... I thought to myself..." Dolphin's don't have aqua green eyes... "

                 Manannan Mac Lir, Irish God of the Sea...is my close, personal friend, and my brother. We have a very strong relationship, he and I. It was He, that day...years ago... that saved my young life from an early death. Manannan is a very powerful God. He was the Foster Father of Lugh, God of Light and Many Skills. Like me, Manannan saved Lugh from an early death, as Cian tossed his young son, along with his siblings into the ocean in hopes they would die. Unfortanetly, Lugh's brother and sister didn't make it...but Manannan found Lugh, and rescued him...taking him to his home where he raised him as his own son...teaching him everything He knew. This is why Lugh became known as " Lugh of the Many Skills ". Manannan Mac Lir is a God of many skills. Thanks to Manannan's help, Lugh later joined with the Tuatha De Dannan in the 2nd Battle of Magh Tuiredh, and helped to defeat the Fomorians...led by Lugh's grandfather...Balor. Lugh is now known as one one the greatest Irish hero's and is an ancestor of mine. Manannan has gone down in history being thought of as a moody God, with a rather bad temper due to modern day neo paganism. People tend to fear Manannan, thinking He is as chaotic and destructive as the ocean can be... But I like to remind people of the calmness of the sea... the peace and beauty of it... for that too reflects the nature of Manannan Mac Lir...my Lord of the Sea.

               So, here is my pickle. I am thinking of changing my patron diety to Manannan since I work so closely with Him on a regular basis. However, I do not want to offend the Daghdha, for I love Him as well. So, tonight, and however long it takes...I will be talking with the Gods... and asking for their blessing. I was too nervous to do so last night... but after talking to Nate and Eleasaid... I know its for the best. I've been dreaming of the ocean nightly... and seeing my Lord of the Sea waiting for me... standing alone on a beach... I need to return home. Next summer, I am going to the beach. I am cancelling the party and going... I have to. My soul yearns for it... Think of it as a pilgrimage... So...Wish me luck... Its gonna be a long journey...