Really amazing stories tonight. Apologies for the delay in posting a winner - I wanted to (and did) read every single post you guys submitted. Everyone is drawn to magic for different reasons, but if you read these posts tonight, it's very apparent that most of us have one thing in common: we don't just do it for ourselves. We do it for others.
We do it share a feeling, an emotion, a smile, a memory - with total strangers. Having that feeling, and sharing that feeling, is what drives us to learn and practice. Having the power to share that rare feeling with someone else, anyone else, whenever you want - it's like a super power. And for many of us, it's what drives us to respect and honor the art.
Some of you were inspired by relatives, parents, friends, strangers. Some of you were discouraged by others, but persisted regardless. Together, magic provides us with a rare skill, unique ability; this arcane knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation.
It's our responsibility now to keep it alive - to respect it, to respect eachother, and provide a future for magic that is brighter than it's past. Together, in this community, on theory11 and beyond - we can do that. And especially after reading your stories tonight, I have nothing but complete confidence that we will.
Tonight's prize, as randomly selected from all valid submissions, goes to Ethinzz in post 31. Congrats to Ethin - whose story isn't dissimilar from many of you and even my own - who started with just a little book in a library that literally changed his life.
We do it share a feeling, an emotion, a smile, a memory - with total strangers. Having that feeling, and sharing that feeling, is what drives us to learn and practice. Having the power to share that rare feeling with someone else, anyone else, whenever you want - it's like a super power. And for many of us, it's what drives us to respect and honor the art.
Some of you were inspired by relatives, parents, friends, strangers. Some of you were discouraged by others, but persisted regardless. Together, magic provides us with a rare skill, unique ability; this arcane knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation.
It's our responsibility now to keep it alive - to respect it, to respect eachother, and provide a future for magic that is brighter than it's past. Together, in this community, on theory11 and beyond - we can do that. And especially after reading your stories tonight, I have nothing but complete confidence that we will.
Tonight's prize, as randomly selected from all valid submissions, goes to Ethinzz in post 31. Congrats to Ethin - whose story isn't dissimilar from many of you and even my own - who started with just a little book in a library that literally changed his life.