Saturday we attended an SCA event and had a really lovely time. This event was particularly significant as this was the first one B had been able to attend since having back surgery in March. Watching him walk around, visit with friends and really relax was just great. I think that’s what made the event so special and wonderful for me.
Since B is still restricted as to how much he can lift, (his back is still healing) we chose to pack light. Usually, we take a pavilion of some kind. We have an ugly pop-up as well as a really nice period style pavilion. Because of B’s physical restrictions, we didn’t take either, choosing instead to put as little as possible into our wagon and see if we could snag some shade from friends.
We set up next to the rapier list field. Our little group was made up of the 3 of us. There were a few more people sitting around us, all without a shady place to sit. There were lovely pavilions on either side of us, each containing people we knew.
The day was lovely, but hot with no shade. El and I made a little shade by lying on the ground and covering our heads with another cloth which was supported by out wagon and a couple of chairs. We got up and walked a bit, sat up to catch a breeze but remained mostly in the sun.
As we sat there, chatting with friends, a young man came over to ask if we’d like to move out of the sun and sit under a pavilion that had been set up for public use. Another young man offered to help us move our things while another led B toward the pavilion. In no time flat we were all settled in the shade profusely thanking our hosts. (I wish I’d gotten their names. I’d like to give them a gift.)
So what’s the point of this story? B and I have a policy of hospitality. When we take a pavilion to an event, we keep an eye out for people who might need shade. I’ve attended events where we had so many people sharing our space that I had a hard time finding a seat! Many, many times over the years, the people that we’ve welcomed into our humble shade have offered to share their food or drink with us. We offer food and drink to those in our space.
The point is that I was saddened that no one who knew us offered us space. Yes, perhaps we could have asked. To me, that seems a bit presumptuous. I’d prefer that the offer be made by the pavilion owner to make sure they had the space available. That begs another question…did the people on either side of us have the space? From what I could see, yes, they did.
Hospitality generosity of spirit cost us nothing. Being kind costs us nothing. My day wasn’t ruined by the lack of cordiality on the part of others. Rather, it was enhanced by the young men who did exhibit that spirit. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.
An Imbalance of Humours 