There are few statements in the entire vocabulary of human languages that make me wince. Here is one of them.

I have not been an actively practicing Pagan for quite a few years.

When I hear this, I wince inwardly. Its almost as if the individual making the statement places this value on an individual “practicing” their faith as the be-all, end-all of determining whether you are a “true” member. But that has me thinking, do I need to practice my faith to be a member of that faith? Do I have to do a certain number of repetitions of certain ritual gestures and statements in order to be a proper member of a faith? Mayhaps, faith is really like an athletic sport. We practice our faith on the days when it doesn’t count, but when the umpires or the referees take the field, we actively participate because there’s a score to be kept.

Perhaps I am being a bit over-the-top here…but perhaps not. Words do have meaning – and thus, we should choose them with care. I hear people talk about practicing their spirituality and faith – and I see that as being different from living your spirituality and faith. Practice, for me, is something you do before the big game, to increase one’s muscle memory for certain moves. I;m not about practicing my spirituality or my faith – I strive to live it, each and every moment.