If I may be allowed to hijack the baby blog for a bit, I have a tangential thought I would like to share.
For those in the know, there is an annual event in Seattle called PAX. Or perhaps I should have written, each year, in Seattle, the Event known as PAX occurs. Because it really has transcended a mere exposition, despite what its formal name, Penny Arcade Expo, might imply to the uninitiated. This year, PAX manifested itself in Boston, for the sake of those geographically inhibited from attending PAX prime, which will recur in Seattle in August as usual. Despite the opportunity, PAX2 just wasn’t in the cards for us this year.
The keynote address was delivered by one Wil Wheaton, who, I’m told, is from the internets. I have not had the opportunity to watch/listen/read the whole address, but a portion he quoted in his blog today struck me:
All of the things that make us weird and strange in the real world? Those things that people tease us for loving, those things that we seem to care about more than everyone else at work or school? Those things make us who we are, and when we’re at PAX, we don’t have to hide them or explain them or justify them to anyone; instead, we celebrate and share them.
At the beginning of March we had the opportunity to attend the St. Emmelia Homeschooling Conference at the Antiochian Village in Pennsylvania. Despite the two youngest being sick with a nasty stomach bug, we had a really great time, learned a lot, gained some confidence as we prepare to step forward into this homeschooling thing for real, and met some really interesting people with whom I hope we can develop some lasting friendships.
But for all of that, one of the most striking reactions for us was that we were among people who understood us. Nobody looked at us funny because we had three kids. Nobody prejudged us as kooky because we would rather educate our children ourselves than turn them over to the public school. And had we stated we were Orthodox, it would not have elicited a cocked head or the raising of a curious eyebrow. It is a comfort, to know that we are not alone.
While I’m sure this is the same type of experience one has when any group of like-minded individuals comes together, whether they be fencers, or showing horses, or rolling d20s for a skill check, Mr. Wheaton’s words resonated with my own memory from the conference. Already, we look forward to the conference next year, to returning home.
