Peer Fear
Baker, Mike
mbaker at rapp.com
Mon Dec 23 08:34:00 PST 1996
Your Excellency,
I have just dispatched a chiding response to Estrill, one that your
words make me realize may come across as harsh or uncaring. Please, believe
me when I say that they are not intended as either.
I do not believe that I have the pleasure of having made your
acquaintance previously. I have no doubt that those who surround you in
Bonwicke care for you greatly and will support you well. Let them! (And
maybe we all can consider this discussion again in a couple of years in a
much different light.)
I believe that I would not myself generally be considered shy, at least
within the SCA context. Hey, I've publically reminded a duchess that there
ARE other Highlands than those in Scotland - and more than once. However,
none of this means that I am always perfectly comfortable in social
settings, either. HG Willow I was introduced to long ago, and there are
still topics that we disagree upon that I would never bring up in her
presence. There are certain topics or situations where I am as completely
tang-toungled as the shyest, most inexperienced, newcomer in the Society.
A (one) difference is that I have learned through experience that I
will survive, that most honest mistakes will be accepted as just that, and
that I have a whack of a lot more fun by being there among the active /
"important" folk - even if I am just listening from where I lean upon my
staff in the outer periphery.
Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra
currently residing in Barony of the Steppes, Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mike C. Baker mbaker at rapp.com
Any opinions expressed are obviously my own unless explicitly stated
otherwise!
----------
From: ansteorra
To: ansteorra
Subject: Re: Peer Fear
Date: Monday, December 23, 1996 8:00AM
Dear Esrill, I am one of those shy people that you discribed so well. I have
also done the hide-in-the-tent thing altho not in the last couple of years.
One of the things that I am grateful to the SCA for doing is it seems to
have
taken somewhat of an edge off of my shyness. I still have trouble
approaching
people occasionally but fortunately folks are more apt to start the
conversation with me now. This gives me a starting place in the conversation
and a little time to "get into personna" . Please people remember, even
brass
can be shy. Not all of us have gotten here by being an in-your- face kind of
person. What you may persieve as " stuck-up" could simply be a shy person
struggling with their instinct to "run away". A little understanding goes a
long way. My dear Estrill, I would like you to know that the writing of this
has my stomach in knots also . Thank you for having the "guts" to write your
letter and allowing me the excuse to join in. Take care, friend.
Happy Yule,
Anna
Mitrofanova
{the
Baroness
Bonwicke }
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