I don’t think it’s much of a secret that the thing I was
most looking forward to at CLAW was the chance to get together with my brother
and sister pups, for the classes and the pup events. I’ve said it elsewhere,
and it’s important enough to me to bear repeating. Believe me, I was in no way
disappointed! Not even the unfortunate shot to the shoulder during Saturday
night’s mosh put a damper on that in any way.
I don’t know if I can adequately put into words everything I
get from being part of this community. I feel such a strong bond of friendship
and common ground with so many of the other pups. Although it doesn’t take much
to bring out the playful pup in me under any circumstances, whenever I’m around
my pupbrothers, it just bubbles out on its own. Even after 10+ years of being
involved in the larger leather community, after a weekend among my brother and
sister pups, I feel like it’s all brand new again.
It strikes me as odd just how much more intensely I’ve come
to feel all of it over the last year. While my service and commitment to the
pup community goes back further, it’s within the last year that it’s taken off
so much for me. I’m not sure why that is, but it’s an incredible feeling that’s
both re-energizing and humbling. Re-energizing because of just how fresh I feel
when coming back out of puppy-time and how it re-focuses me on so many other
things I do, both within the community and on the outside.
Humbling because I’m a part of something that is so much
more than myself and brings together so many. Humbling because I’m accepted for
who and what I am. And humbling because others see me as an alpha among so many
with so much to offer.
I want to thank each and every one of you for what is – to
me – a gift beyond price. I can only hope to give back a part of what you have
all given me so far. I promise to do my best.
Like all of us, it’s
back to the every day world for me. But I go knowing that I, as a pup, have a
place where I know I belong!
No comments:
Post a Comment