NK - What makes a peer?

[Tony And Catherine Lackey]

> I am still curious if anyone else has any thoughts to add to the questions
> I posed earlier about being a peer and becoming a peer.  I greatly
> appreciated the responses received from Gio, Robert and Talana.  Anyone
> else want to add their cents?
> 
> Rowan

	I guess for my 2 crowns' worth, I'd have to say that since the
SCA FINALLY gave me a venue for the arts I loved already, and that I
tend to be goal-oriented, the journey down the Laurel path seemed a good
way to go for me.  On the whole, I found it an enjoyable and rewarding
learning experience, as much for what it taught me about me as anything
else.  I learned how to meet goals, handle pressure, and how to deal
with all kinds of people under all kinds of circumstances.  I received
lots of help and support from a lot of good people and encouragement
when my energy flagged.  My Laurel stuff seems inextricable from my 
service stuff (autocratting, officeholding, etc.) because to me, what
makes a peer a peer is service.  Service in teaching, helping,
encouraging,--all that should be an integral part of all peerages. 
Anyone who becomes a peer, and having met that goal, considers himself
finished, is IMHO, letting down himself and the SCA that gave him the
field on which he won his belt/baldric/medallion.  It's a peer's
obligation to give back to others the same help, encouragement, support
and teaching he got himself.  Because, believe me, the medallion is a
pretty paltry reward for all the hours of work, travel, research etc.
that is necessary to gain a peerage.  The journey is its own joy and its
own reward and part of it is helping others find the joy in this game no
matter what their goals.  That's both the duty and the pleasure of
peerage.
	Hope this isn't too smarmy.

					Baroness Catrin
on whic