ES - Heal Thyself first

[Spence & Robin Mabry]

I won't say how long I have been in the Society (heck (for those of an a more appropriate age, ----), yes, I will -- 29 years) and it seems like we get this discussion coming up every time there is a full moon.

Look folks, this is a VOLUNTEER organization.  VOLUNTEER.  Know what that means?  That means you joined because you wanted to.  Nobody (that I know of in the 9 kingdoms I have lived in) has EVER TWISTED anybody's arm to join.  And twisted anybody's arm to stay in.  YOU ALL DID IT VOLUNTARILY!

Okay, what does that say about what Our Baroness said?

Just this:
"When you do work on a problem with someone, and you have done something
wrong, admit it, apologize, call the blow, and move on."

We are here to have fun, to enjoy ourselves and to enrich the lives of others.  Think about the expressions on the faces of the crowds when they see us hold court at the Highland Games or when they see our fighters, or the children at a school when we do a demo.  Think about the first time you encountered Frodo or Aragorn or Arthur or Lancelot or Gwain or Harald or Eric BloodAxe or Richard or Robin Hood or the three Musketeers or even Captain James Tiberius Kirk.  The sense of wonder, the sense of adventure, the sense of ... something beyond this world we mortals live in.

This is what the Society is all about.  Moving above and beyond what we are to what we can be.

This is [unabashed ad here] why we want to step in and continue the work of Llywelyn and Xene.  To keep this "dream", this "reality" alive.  We have been down the road of burnout and we know what it can do to all involved.  We have seen cantons and shires and baronies torn apart by internal and external strife.  

There is no easy answer, be it "people" or "structure". They are only excuses.  As a trained sociologist/social psychologist I should know. I once did think about doing a paper on the social & organizational structural of the SCA which predicted its downfall in 5 years (and this was conceived in 1975) and what is the year now? There was also another paper done about the same time that predicted the same thing.

The answer is within each of us.  

If we care enough about the Society to make sure that it will live beyond our lifetimes and if we answer this challenge with a resounding "YES!!", then we have hope.  Otherwise, I fear the Enemy is at the door.

Ceatta
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