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There's a good reason we say good-bye to each other at cons like we may never see each other again. Lives can change over no more than a few minutes, and cons are months apart for most people. It doesn't even need to be any kind of big event in somebody's life, just one or two small things might change enough to make it impossible to go to a con or visit distant friends. We've all come to cherish each other's friendship, for all the support, advice, brotherhood and sisterhood that comes with it. In the wake of terrorist attacks on the United States, every person alive who can understand what happened has been reminded of how fragile an existence we lead. All communities band together in times of need, but our community seems to understand that a crisis isn't needed to show how important it is that people can care for each other. The way we lead our lives, cons are the best and sometimes only way to be with the people we care about. Three ambulances had to come to give medical assistance during the weekend. Most of the convention just stopped during that time. Mostly out of necessity to get the injured the proper care. But also because people cared. Even for those who hit a convention once a month, it still only amounts to hardly more than one twentieth of our time. So cons are something special, even if they're not very exciting or things go wrong. Life certainly goes on with or without cons, with or without a hobby, with or without friends. But as for me, I'm about quality, not quantity, and cons are definitely a plus for quality in all respects. So what about Nekocon? Well, it's definitely got quality. As nice as it is to escape reality for a weekend, you can't really do that, not even at a con. Bad things happen even there. But when everything else is going well, the bad things tend to be little stones to step across, not mountains to climb. Right now, my future seems rather uncertain, so I can't even be sure I'll come back next year. But I'll certainly try to. Even though we may say good-bye like we might not see each other again, the question is always, What's the next con you'll be going to? |