Happy
This past Saturday, I spent the entire day in awe of people that I love, because the way they express their love in return is both humbling and splendid. The occasion was my induction into the Order of the Laurel. (Informally, we have decided that my discipline is "enabling".) It is a beautiful and strange thing to have so much happy attention directed at one, and I want to thank those people who made it a reality, even as I try and set it all straight in my memory and hope I remember it all correctly to do them justice.
A month ago, my beloved and Alexander St. Pierre constructed a writ so perfect for me, that online discussion about it actually turned into a tiny tool for learning. You can see it here.
Turning to the day of, the crack team of
lisagw and artisticphoenix organized, provisioned, and ran a beautiful vigil that allowed me to sit in contemplative peace and talk to many, many lovely and cheerful and well-fed people. industrialblues, lanome, and baronessv loaned their beautiful furniture and helped put everything into place. lisagw, artisticphoenix, marysdress, rufinia, decimusaurelius, ubiq31, Raziya, Camille, and Zsuzsy provided the tasty and attractive vigil food that kept me and everyone well-fed and not starving.
I want to pay special heed to the team of amazing folks who built a cloister for my vigil. I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that these people, led byxdaemon, dulcinbradbury, and Harvey, took a simple room and created a candle-lit, meditative stone chapel with a stained glass window. It took my breath away, and made it possible for this quiet introvert to spend a whole day in conversation with dozens of people without ever feeling overwhelmed, because I was always in a place of peace.
As the day drew toward a close, I learned thatperegrinning would be playing a conductus for me, and although the lovely woodwindy could not be there to play with him (we missed you!), the inestimable hudebnik stepped in on short notice and they were gorgeous. Eric Michaelsson and Christopher Michaelsson carried my banner (splendidly realized by Antonio Patrasso) and my regalia, marysdress, lanome, and avaldr went before me in procession, and my own beloved escorted me into the Masonic Temple's exceptionally beautiful space. (What a sky!)
I knelt, and thenavaldr spoke for the Chivalry, lanome bore Avelina's words for the Roses, marysdress spoke for the Pelicans, and peregrinning bore jdulac's words for the Laurels. I am doing my best to sit carefully and thoughtfully with everything they said; there isn't really a way to prepare for it, and I think I will be some time thinking. I don't yet have words to know how to thank someone for what they say in that moment, but I can tell you that I received it fully and with all of my heart, and I remain deeply grateful for all of you.
To conclude a day of profound riches, I received awesomely beautiful regalia, and a magnificent scroll.lanome made one of the magic mantles from the illuminations, and you guys! It works just like the pictures! lucianus made me a luminous brooch that is so very very right for Dreda. Brose - in the run up to her own investiture! - made me a marvellously shiny enameled medallion that just glows. Ygraine made me a fillet, barbette, and veil that are a wonder of delicate and subtle embroidery. For perhaps the first time, I feel transported by my own clothes. And Isabel took rising_moon and peregrinning's heartfelt words and made me a scroll that is simply beautiful, and beautifully judged - I have been smitten by the DeBrailes Hours for years, and to find my own self in a miniature, just like Susanna, just makes me jump up and down with glee. I promise not to lick it, I really do, but it's a near thing!
Raziya took beautiful photos at my beloved's request, and Arlyana recorded the ceremony and my oath of homage with wonderful clarity. Cateline's photos and Caoilfhionn's photos are also gorgeous records.
Truly, it is an experience that for all my words, I do not feel I will be able to adequately encompass, and I feel like I will be trying for a long time. But all of these people have my love, and I am humbled by theirs, and by their regard.
Most especially, my own belovedrising_moon. From beginning to end, she touched every element and made sure that it was something that would delight me, and she was wildly successful. My love, thank you for your wisdom, your care, your perception, and your endless supply of sparkly fairy dust. I would not be here were it not for all these amazing people, and most especially, not without you. Thank you.
A month ago, my beloved and Alexander St. Pierre constructed a writ so perfect for me, that online discussion about it actually turned into a tiny tool for learning. You can see it here.
Turning to the day of, the crack team of
lisagw and artisticphoenix organized, provisioned, and ran a beautiful vigil that allowed me to sit in contemplative peace and talk to many, many lovely and cheerful and well-fed people. industrialblues, lanome, and baronessv loaned their beautiful furniture and helped put everything into place. lisagw, artisticphoenix, marysdress, rufinia, decimusaurelius, ubiq31, Raziya, Camille, and Zsuzsy provided the tasty and attractive vigil food that kept me and everyone well-fed and not starving.I want to pay special heed to the team of amazing folks who built a cloister for my vigil. I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that these people, led by
xdaemon, dulcinbradbury, and Harvey, took a simple room and created a candle-lit, meditative stone chapel with a stained glass window. It took my breath away, and made it possible for this quiet introvert to spend a whole day in conversation with dozens of people without ever feeling overwhelmed, because I was always in a place of peace.As the day drew toward a close, I learned that
peregrinning would be playing a conductus for me, and although the lovely woodwindy could not be there to play with him (we missed you!), the inestimable hudebnik stepped in on short notice and they were gorgeous. Eric Michaelsson and Christopher Michaelsson carried my banner (splendidly realized by Antonio Patrasso) and my regalia, marysdress, lanome, and avaldr went before me in procession, and my own beloved escorted me into the Masonic Temple's exceptionally beautiful space. (What a sky!)I knelt, and then
avaldr spoke for the Chivalry, lanome bore Avelina's words for the Roses, marysdress spoke for the Pelicans, and peregrinning bore jdulac's words for the Laurels. I am doing my best to sit carefully and thoughtfully with everything they said; there isn't really a way to prepare for it, and I think I will be some time thinking. I don't yet have words to know how to thank someone for what they say in that moment, but I can tell you that I received it fully and with all of my heart, and I remain deeply grateful for all of you.To conclude a day of profound riches, I received awesomely beautiful regalia, and a magnificent scroll.
lanome made one of the magic mantles from the illuminations, and you guys! It works just like the pictures! lucianus made me a luminous brooch that is so very very right for Dreda. Brose - in the run up to her own investiture! - made me a marvellously shiny enameled medallion that just glows. Ygraine made me a fillet, barbette, and veil that are a wonder of delicate and subtle embroidery. For perhaps the first time, I feel transported by my own clothes. And Isabel took rising_moon and peregrinning's heartfelt words and made me a scroll that is simply beautiful, and beautifully judged - I have been smitten by the DeBrailes Hours for years, and to find my own self in a miniature, just like Susanna, just makes me jump up and down with glee. I promise not to lick it, I really do, but it's a near thing!Raziya took beautiful photos at my beloved's request, and Arlyana recorded the ceremony and my oath of homage with wonderful clarity. Cateline's photos and Caoilfhionn's photos are also gorgeous records.
Truly, it is an experience that for all my words, I do not feel I will be able to adequately encompass, and I feel like I will be trying for a long time. But all of these people have my love, and I am humbled by theirs, and by their regard.
Most especially, my own beloved
rising_moon. From beginning to end, she touched every element and made sure that it was something that would delight me, and she was wildly successful. My love, thank you for your wisdom, your care, your perception, and your endless supply of sparkly fairy dust. I would not be here were it not for all these amazing people, and most especially, not without you. Thank you.