[Ansteorra] wasWhat are we here for?scary story

[Randy Nicholson]

Very well said Your Grace, very well said indeed!  We get out of the SCA
what we put in to it.  If we want to participate in the dream we have to be
willing to work hard at making it happen not just for ourselves, but for
those around us as well.  I think we all have a responsibility for helping
to create 'the dream' for our brethren.  It can sometimes be hard work but
it is certainly worth it.  Otherwise, as you pointed out, why are we here?
Just as a social club where the only distinguishing factor between us and
other social clubs is that we wear garb and hit each other with sticks?  I
hope not!  Within the ideals that have been handed down to us over the years
and through the traditions of the SCA are the standards that set us apart.  

Ld. Robert de Bray  



-----Original Message-----
From: ansteorra-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:ansteorra-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of
willowdewisp at juno.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 12:25 AM
To: ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] wasWhat are we here for?scary story

Greeting Ladies from Duchess Willow de Wisp<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Many years ago when we were still under Atenveldt I was at a tourney and I
noticed that the young men were not giving courtesies or attending the
ladies, I went up to the Old Aten Knight that was the highest ranking
gentleman there and gently fussed. The Old Aten Knight didn't say a word. He
just took me to the center of the list field and turned me to where the
ladies were sitting. As I looked I was horrified. There were ladies slouched
over in their mundane lawn chairs, smoking cigarettes and drinking out of
coke cans. There was trash everywhere. The ladies were dressed in thrown
together clothes. Their faces were red and their hair unkempt. The knight
looked at me and said, "It is hard to do courtesies to this". The Old Knight
went back to the fighters and reminded them of their duties. I could not
fault them on their behavior from there on. 
On that day I learned that my Knight in shining armor has a dream and we our
gentlemens dream. I have tried since that day to live up to that duty. On
that day so long ago I left the Knight and talked to the Ladies. Most of
them had been so busy with their Lords and families that they didn't have
the time to take care of themselves. We talked about the problem and for a
long time Ladies in Ansteorra realized that it is up to us to set the
standards. We need to worry about how we look and act. Are we living the
Dream and making the magic or are we turning Ansteorra into cocktail party
were we wear funny clothes and talk about school, work, car and computers? 
 A Lady of Ansteorra
Duchess Willow de Wisp