I was convinced the lady who knew where all the witches were in Georgetown was the same one selling crystal balls.

“We do have specimens that are spherical,” replied Becky Waddell co-owner of District Mineral, “but no one’s ever come in claiming to be a witch,” she added calmly.

I have a pretty modern view of witches: women who were ahead of their time, women who were healers, women who had minds of their own, women who were powerful. And those are some of the qualities I thought earned you the slap of “witch” in days of yore.   

The Roman Catholic Church wears its age well — and yet, after 2,000 years, is still developing new features, still growing into its body. Perhaps, for world religions, 2,000 years seems like puberty: you’re at the age where lots of people know you and recognize you, but inside you’re expanding in ways that are still going to surprise them.