Image Courtesy of Mr. XPK
The affects of steampunk on our lives could be as limitless as the creative expressions of our individual visions of our beloved pasttime.
One of deepest impacts of steampunk making my own life better is also the most visible – new friendships with people from around the world.
Right from my first convention in Seattle, Steamcon, I met people to talk with everywhere – giving or attending panels, shopping in the vendors rooms, chatting in the hallways about outfits and props. We laughed and joked, bonded and stayed in touch.
As Airship Ambassador, I have formally interviewed over a hundred people for the blog, talked with hundreds more at events around the country, and have ‘talked’ with even more online, thanks to social media.
With each encounter, there is a chance to make a very real and substantive connection with someone and develop a lasting friendship. That is of a value that will stay with us until our very last days – the camaraderie, the laughter, the genuine affection and good will towards others.
These friendships are the ones which bring a smile to our faces when we hear from them, an excitement at getting together, and when we may need it most, a lightness to our burdens.
With and through these friends, I have learned more and done more. I have seen the world grown far smaller, and more interesting. I follow global events more closely, checking in with my friends to see how things may be affecting them. Because of all those experiences, I see that people, everywhere in their multitude of differences, are all still people, just like you and me, and all our other friends.
We share the same needs, have the same desires, and generally want the same intangible things. We rejoice or complain about the weather. We celebrate our triumphs, and persevere through the trials. We want to be loved, and be happy, and be fulfilled in some way or other. As friends, we support each other, we grow together, and we sit to take tea, enjoying just being together.
My life is richer and deeper now because of these friendships. Even as I have grown and changed, I have seen artists grow more fully into their expressive potential. Authors find their voice ringing loud and clear to a growing assemblage of followers. Musicians create the tunes and melodies which energize our emotions. The philosophers explore and sharpen their messages.
Through it all, we are on the journey together, sharing, influencing, cheering, consoling – and THOSE are the memories and experiences I will treasure for the rest of my life. When I reach my very senior days, sitting in that super-soft, easy-lift recliner, looking out the window through my enhanced/virtual reality cornea implants, I’ll be flipping through the many, many pictures from these steampunk adventures, remembering those fun times with my friends.
Follow along each day as new entries are added to the Official Link List and join the discussions on the Facebook event page.
Airship Ambassador 