Day One: Why Paganism?
I feel like this is both really simple and really complicated. The short answer basically boils down to freedom. There is no dogma and the rules that do exist aren't arbitrary or overly restrictive. I initially wrote several paragraphs about my journey to paganism, but it never actually ended up answering the question of "why". Part of it was definitely because I struggled with the idea of God since I was able to formulate complex thoughts. God didn't make sense to me, but gods did make sense to me. Many gods that manifest as nature itself and gods that don't inherently care about you just makes more sense to me.
My motivations for finding a religion weren't based on a desire for comfort, it was based on a desire to understand. Divination, spirit work and worshiping the gods (among other things) help me understand. It is fulfilling to me. I love how paganism is integrated into my life, rather than something that only matters on certain days. I like that giving to the gods (and spirits, ancestors, et cetera) isn't motivated by fear, but by appreciation. I like that paganism is concerned with living life and not the idea of eternal reward or punishment. Paganism is so mindful and deliberate. Nothing is done without it serving a purpose.
There's a popular thing that is said in a lot of pagan spaces, "Paganism is orthopraxic. It is about correct action, not correct beleif". That's why I'm a pagan.