An Elevator Speech: My Pagan Beliefs (Feedback Welcome)

Recently I read some advice given to another young pagan on how to come out of the closet to his parents regarding his pagan beliefs. It was suggested that he first prepare an elevator speech. This speech was described as a brief and concise account of what he believes. Since I currently find myself in the closet regarding my pagan path (no one in my life knows including my wife), this post will serve as a first draft of my elevator speech. I hope to get feedback from the larger Pagan community, which will help me further develop and conceptualize my beliefs, both for myself and my eventual audience.

As a new Pagan my beliefs are not well formed, but so far:

• I believe the universe is sacred and good
• I believe observing and even ritualizing the cycles of nature such as the solstices, equinoxes, and phases of the moon is an important way to connect with the universe
• I believe all people are sacred and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity regardless of their beliefs or lifestyles
• I believe everything (people, animals, trees, mountains, stars, animate and inanimate alike) is connected at a spiritual level and to some extent on a physical level 
• I believe ritual can cultivate one's spiritual connection with the universe

Finally, I believe pagan and paganism are umbrella terms that best encompass these beliefs.

Because I spent the last 25+ years deeply embedded in the Christian world, I am able to anticipate many of the questions my former peers and other Christians may have. Therefore, in addition to the above beliefs, I have prepared responses to a couple questions that I first asked about paganism when I was making the transition.

• What do you believe about creation, how did all of this come to be?
• I don't know how or when the universe was created, but I think it so magnificent and good that it is reasonable to reverence and even worship the creation. Perhaps it was created by a god/goddess or multiple gods, at the very least attributing creation to an entity (even if the entity serves as an archetype) is a productive way for me to focus the veneration I have for creation. At this time I don't have a name for this entity or entities, but I am comfortable with the idea that there are two of them, the God and the Goddess, the male and the female. 
• What do you believe happens to your soul after you die?
• I don't know what will happen to me or my soul after I die, but at this point I think I will continue in some way because I believe everything in the universe is somehow eternal and connected. I like the line in the Joni Mitchell song titled Woodstock that reads "We are stardust, we are golden, and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden." To me these words speak of the inter-connectedness of all things and eventually there will be a return to some pristine state of being. Perhaps there is a heaven, Nirvana, or Valhalla, or some form of reincarnation; I just don't know. I do know that I have a life to live and I want to live it in harmony with what I can see and experience of the universe around me.

Even as I write out these beliefs, I wonder if a proper pagan perspective would be more about practice than belief. It is my understanding that Christianity is more doctrine-based and paganism is more practice-based. Unfortunately, I have done next to nothing when it comes to pagan practice and ritual. I hope to start this week by performing a dedication rite, adopting a pantheon to connect with, and creating a sacred space that can serve as an altar. I know this sounds ambitious, but I am on vacation this week with nothing else to do.