You Lost Family to MAGA. You Don’t Have to Survive Alone

You're Not Alone: Some of Us Never Joined the Cult

I see the heartbreak. The devastation of watching parents, elders, mentors swept into the hateful MAGA cult — abandoning compassion, truth, and the ethics they once taught you.

I see the ache of wondering if the love you grew up with was ever real. The disorientation of losing someone to propaganda and cruelty.

So let me say this plainly: some of us never left.

Some of us — older, motherly, still rooted in care — are here. We still believe in kindness, in truth, in protecting the vulnerable. We still show up for justice, for community, for love that liberates.

If you're feeling orphaned by ideology, I want you to know: someone is still in your corner. Someone who remembers what it means to be human together.

Mr. Rogers Quote from PBS Learning Media

 You are not alone.

There Are Still Ethical Elders

We grieve alongside you — those of us who have also lost family members and mentors to this cult. We know the particular pain of mourning someone who is still alive but no longer recognizable. The parent who taught you empathy now parrots cruelty. The mentor who modeled integrity now embraces lies. These losses are real, and your grief deserves space.

But here's what queer culture has always known and generously taught the rest of us: family is not only what you're born into. Family can be chosen, built, created through shared values and intentional love. You can seek out and find elders, mentors, and kin who reflect the ethics you hold dear. People who will show up for you with the care and wisdom you deserve.

Many of Us Still Show Up for Love

As Mr. Rogers wisely said, "Look for the helpers." In times of crisis and confusion, look for those who are showing up with compassion and courage. They are out there — and they are looking for you too. Communities of care still exist. Elders who never abandoned their principles are still here, ready to journey alongside you. You don't have to navigate this alone.

If you're seeking a place of care, clarity, and spiritual support — I've created a sanctuary for you.

Visit http://AmyBeltaine.info to find resources, reflections, and companionship for the journey.

Celebrating Spring, while your neighbors celebrate Easter

Family-Friendly Traditions Beyond the Bunny

Spring is a time of renewal, transformation, and celebration. For many families, especially in the U.S. and Europe, that celebration takes the form of Easter—brimming with pastel eggs, chocolate bunnies, and church services. But what if Easter isn’t part of your family’s tradition? What if you’re part of a multi-faith household, secular family, Pagan, or simply want to avoid religious holidays while still embracing the energy of the season?

Whether you’re reclaiming older traditions, creating new ones, or just trying to navigate all the marketing hype with kids who really want to dye eggs, there are beautiful, meaningful ways to honor spring that don’t require celebrating Easter.

Spring Traditions Beyond Easter

Many of the symbols associated with Easter—eggs, rabbits, chicks, sweets—aren’t Christian in origin. They reflect deeper, older human connections to the changing seasons. Here are a few examples from diverse traditions that still thrive today:

Celtic Traditions

Lighting Beltane fires (May 1) to bless livestock as they moved to summer pastures; honoring wells and springs as sacred.

Option: Light a small fire or candle to bless new beginnings. Visit a local water source and offer gratitude for renewal—maybe by floating petals, singing a song, or simply being present.

Slavic Traditions

Drowning or burning the effigy of Marzanna (spirit of winter) to welcome spring; decorating pysanky—intricate eggs with symbols of protection and fertility.

Option: Write down what you’re releasing from winter and burn or compost it. Decorate eggs using natural dyes or personal symbols—turn it into a meditative, family craft project.

Norse & Germanic Traditions

Spring blóts—communal feasts honoring ancestors, spirits, and deities with offerings of food and drink.

Option: Hold a spring meal and set aside a portion for ancestors or the earth. A small outdoor offering or moment of silence can be powerful.

East Asian Traditions

Qingming Festival in China honors ancestors and reconnects people with nature; hanami in Japan celebrates the brief blooming of cherry blossoms.

Option: Tend to an ancestor’s memory with stories, art, or photos. Practice mindful noticing—of blossoms, breezes, or birdsong. Let children help name and track the changes.

Indigenous (Place-Based) Traditions

Many Indigenous communities honor spring through ceremonies tied to local cycles: first thunder, maple sap runs, returning birds.

Option: Learn what natural cycles shape your region. Is it frog song, crocus blooms, or pollinator activity? You don’t need to borrow Indigenous ceremonies—just pay attention, express gratitude, and listen deeply to the land.

Ways to Celebrate Spring Without Easter

These activities are inclusive, non-religious (or adaptable), and suitable for families:

1. Egg Decorating Without Resurrection

Explore egg symbolism across cultures—fertility, life, protection—and let kids design their own meaningful symbols or just play with color. Try natural dyes (onion skins, red cabbage, turmeric) and talk about where those plants come from.

2. Seasonal Storytime

Read or invent spring-themed stories from many cultures. Feature animals waking from hibernation, plants stretching toward the sun, or kids learning from the land. Let the stories spark play, art, or imaginative outdoor time.

3. Bless Your Garden or Balcony

You don’t need a farm—blessing a single pot of herbs or planting native flowers for pollinators counts. Say a few words, sprinkle water, or sing a song together.

4. Spring Altar or Nature Table

Let kids collect signs of spring—flowers, feathers, stones, colors—and create a seasonal display. Add candles, symbols of what your family hopes to grow, or photos of loved ones.

5. Release & Renew Ritual

Write down old habits, worries, or winter energies you’re ready to release. Burn, bury, shred, or toss them into moving water (responsibly). Welcome new intentions for the season ahead.

6. Share a Spring Feast

Make or buy seasonal foods and share them with friends, neighbors, or your community. You could even prepare a plate just for the land, the ancestors, or whatever sacredness your family honors.

Photo by Meaghan Campbell

Spring Belongs to Everyone

You don’t need to celebrate Easter to enjoy the season’s joy and abundance. Spring invites us all into wonder, growth, and connection—with each other, with the land, and with the cycles of life.

Whether through ancestral customs, creative reinvention, or simple observation of what blooms near your home, you can create rituals that reflect your values and roots.

How do you celebrate spring in ways that feel true to you? Share your stories—we’d love to learn from each other.