The Journey

This is not in reference to the move.

I have been thinking a lot about my personal journey through the SCA over the past year. Where I began, what my goals were, and why I have a desire to fight. I can only imagine that the journey begins the same for most people. A desire to be a skilled fighter, win tournaments, known as a force to be reckoned with. There was a motivation to be the best. To hang with the big dogs.

Several things changed my motivation, my reason for being armored on the field. The more I played over the past year, the more I came to realize that I was beginning to discover the virtues of chivalry. With having a son, and wanting to be an example that he can learn from, a lot of my mundane values changed as well. Not changed really, I guess you could say I prioritized my values and motivations. Prowess is something that can be achieved by the vast majority of people. Especially in a game filled with weekend warriors. I saw a newer fighter (less than a year in armor) win a coronet. Now, I don't know him personally, but I can only assume that it was because he fought all the time, and trained as much as he could. That kind of makes it a no brainer.

There's more than that though. If I wanted to be a part of a sport just to win, I could have picked something more suited to those goals. Team sports, with obvious point scoring methods. But that isn't why I have always been drawn to "sword fighting" honestly. I like learning about history, and the more I research, the more I want to know. Especially when it comes to studying and contemplating things like chivalric virtues (and seeing them before they were called "chivalric virtues"). So now I am drawn in to a further subculture of geekness by applying the concept of these virtues to every day life.

The most fun I have had has been at informal gatherings of fighters. When we get together as friends with similar interest in history, and beat each other with sticks. Inside the SCA is a sporting ruleset that is specific to the SCA, which in all honesty doesn't seem to be a direct simulation of the actual combat that existed in history. I mean, we try, we have fun, and that is all that matters really. But things like studying history, and making reproductions of actual archaeological finds, or applying the varoius warrior codes to every day life... these are things that exist outside the game.

I guess what I am getting at, is that while I want to take part in the SCA world, I recognize that really where my interest lies is in things that are autonomous from that group. And really, my goals are not so much being a skilled SCA fighter, but experiencing the reality of mideval concepts and culture. I can learn prowess anywhere, I just have to take the time to do it. I am no longer interested in a static goal. Rather, I began a journey of self discovery within the concept of meieval society. I realize now that my goal is not "be more skilled at fighting than the next guy," its more "become a better man while sharing that journey with those around me."

Physically, there are many things I want to try. Different fighting styles, new games, living history groups, modern crazy ass sports, historical hunting trips, and the list goes on. All I really have to do for all that is to get in shape for it.

Traveling the path of virtue will always be in my heart, no matter where I go or what I do.