Salvete, Northshield,
It is now September in the Year of the Plague, a year which seems to just go on and on without the events we so enjoy. It is very easy to get depressed, to give up, to become isolated.
Here is where the blessings of the mundane world can help. I have heard of numerous virtual meetings, where people of a shire get together online and work on projects in their own home while chatting to their shire mates, who are sitting in their own home working on a project.
Getting busy is one of the proven ways to beat those dark feelings that lurk in our minds. So pick a project, something you enjoy, and set aside as little as a few minutes a day to work on it. It doesn’t have to be a big project either; it can be as little as ironing a piece of linen, putting all the wood you need in its own pile, buying some more duct tape to repair a weapon. I think you will find that finishing one thing will give you a lift up, setting the stage for you to do one more small thing. And the things will get bigger, and take up more of your time, and you will feel better.
If it all seems just too much, remember to take itty-bitty baby steps, for just a few minutes a day. It really does help, and it also keeps the SCA flame lit in this time.
Best of all, put SUN, the Stellar University of Northshield, on your schedule for November 14! One way or another it will be held, and we are excited about it.
My thoughts are with all of you.
Berenice