It would have been unthinkable just a few months ago. And even though I’ve done it, it’s still all a bit surreal.
Last night I left Beowulf Squadron.
For over a year now, Journey’s end has been my home and the members of WULF my family. It’s been painful to watch our numbers suddenly dwindle in recent weeks. It seems that everyone’s lives have suddenly changed all at once. Night after night of utter silence on the guildchat channel finally let me to this very difficult decision.
With the hope of keeping what’s left of the WULF family together and building on what Admiral Fenris has achieved, one of our WULF members has started a new guild. Though the thought of WULF coming to an end breaks my heart, I have come to face the reality that the only way to preserve what’s left of it is to breathe new life into it.
So last night I left Beowulf Squadron and my membership was accepted in a new guild. I remain optimistic that this is the best hope for staying connected to my dear friends and I’m excited about the possibility of making new ones….
But no matter what happens, the Beowulf Squadron will always have a special place in my heart and memories.
It started with a trip to my Lake Retreat shop to restock some of the vendors. There was a bit of a chill in the air so I started a fire in the fireplace. As I sat and tended to it, I realized how long it had been since I’d engaged in a relaxing activity. I’ve pretty much been working nonstop over the past several weeks. I’ve managed to catch up on my vendor stocking despite having been a month behind. Special orders have been pouring in, taking up quite a bit of time. And I even spent several hours reorganizing my paperwork for staff salaries and building maintenance fees. But there hasn’t been any time for fun.
So I decided to finish up my work quickly and head out of town for a vacation. I immediately headed to a fishing spot Jaegen showed me a while back. The beach is lovely, the Ewoks are quite friendly and the fishing is awesome. It was dusk when I arrived. No matter. I fished under the stars by the light of the torches.
When the cool breeze forced me to quit for the night, I sat by the fire. The simplicity of my surroundings made me think about how complex my life has seemed lately. It’s been quite a while since Bermuda left, but I’m just now starting to feel like I’m settling in for long haul.
Relations in the Beowulf Fleet have been less than ideal this past week. Members have come and gone. Regulars have been busy and less available to chat. Arguments, divorce and the possibility that more may leave Journey’s End have weighed heavily on me. Though none of it directly involves me, it’s still difficult to watch my dear friends go through it.
Despite the chaos around me, life for me has pretty much gone on the same. But I wonder how much longer that will last. The choices of those around me may pretty soon force me into making some pretty significant decisions about my home, my business, my friendships and personal life. It’s no secret that I don’t like change. Having this vacation to consider all the possibilities and realities couldn’t have come at a better time.
I left the fishing dock late the next day with a clear head and a bag full of fish. What more could one ask from a vacation?
