Posted by Rich/Mohican Press on February 11, 2001 at 07:59:55:
I remember back at the preparations for the First - of what were unknowingly to become ANNUAL - Gathering. There was mayhem here on the Board ... Jo was there, Marcia, Myrrh, Chris, Carol, Ilse, of course Elaine & I, Eric & Sharon. And all those people came to the First Gathering. But, you know who else was there? On the Board? Bill & Doc Mary & Mike Z. & Heather & Gretchen & Joy & Lynn C. And NONE of them came to that first Gathering. I rememember feeling an emptiness inside as things evolved. How could this Gathering be what we wanted it to be without half the people who were so instrumental in its conception even being there? Well, I hadn't reckoned with the likes of John H. & John E., the Sweet Sweetser Sisters, Quiet Man, Lynn & Glenn and all those who DID show up!! Ros was there, and Dar. Caitlin was a late addition ... and others. And guess what?! We had a blast! So there were no jujus thrown in the theater. Big deal! We just had it run backwards!
Gathering 2. Same kind of feelings pervaded inside me. How would the Gathering be the same if Chris & Myrrh & Carol & Ros & Dar & Jay & a bunch of others who WERE at the First wouldn't be at the Second? To hear that some of those folks were not going to be there caused me great pain. I'm not kidding! And STILL no Doc or Bill! Maybe we should just forget it. Hold on! There's Kate, and Pilgrim Penny & Alamo Alma, and Sandy and Diana and Cecelia, She-Who-Tracks, and Ayesha & Collin to the rescue!!! Even some dude named Eric Schweig! Holy Cow! A Gathering just couldn't get better than this one. And a Program Guide without 2 of the 3 Little Piggies? Impossible? Nope! Step in Sarah Z.!
Gathering 3. Sad to say, the same feeling. Yep, I'm fairly hard-headed, at times. Right Marcia? Why even bother? No way we can match the Second! WHAT?! No Gayle? No Emily & Kevin? No Caitlin & Jeff (well, they did relent at the last minute and made it after all!) STILL no Doc! No Myrrh; No Chris; No Sarah M. ... here we go again ... WAIT!!! Ros is coming back! So's Dar! And Jay! You know what? You know what I belatedly started to realize? As much as each individual person contributes, it hardly matters at all who shows up ... Now, we added Clabert & Dana & Ann & Adele & Stephanie & Nathan & Summer & Vince & Martha & Bertha ... and ... and ... SO MANY MORE! And each added their own little ingredient to the mix, more than compensating for those who couldn't be there. Yeah, STILL no Doc Mary, but guess what? Bill WAS there, finally! And NO celebrity (well, there was Michael Bigham), and yet this Gathering ranked right up there with the previous ones ... maybe better! We were on to something!
So, now we have Gathering 4. A bunch of people from the First are returning ... and from the Second ... and from the Third ... Sadly, some aren't ... and they WILL be missed. No doubt about that! No Clabert? Such an integral part of Gathering 3 not here? Well, I'm STILL not convinced of that sad state of affairs, but I've learned my lesson. I AIN'T getting depressed. Not TOO depressed, anyway! :) 'Cause, along with a slew of returnees, we have a whole batch of NEW folks, coming for the first time. Sure, it looks like there STILL won't be a Doctor Mary among us, and no Darla & Dave & Gwyn & Len and ... wait! ... I'm not going down that road again, for we WILL have Theresa & Claude (Alabama), and Jill & Ellen (California), & all the MacWilliam Boys (Pennsylvania), and Joan & John (Colorado), and Julie & Doug (British Columbia), and Christina, The Red Haired Lass (South Carolina) ... all making the long trek to join us for the first time! Their little charms will more than make up for the parts that are missing. And, Lo & Behold ... Donna & Emily & Kevin & Ros & Dar & Chris & Bill & Marcia & Kate & Eric & Sharon, & the two Johns, & Jayne & NightSky & Boy Toy, &, & , & I can't name all of you, but SO MANY WILL BE HERE again ... and this special, one of a kind mix of people will make the Fourth Annual Great Mohican Gathering its own unique experience!!! We all owe it to those experiencing it for the first time to make it just as special as it can be. And it WILL be special! With or without a "Mystery Guest," WE'LL all be here, the MOUNTAINS will most definitely be here, the aura will be here ... It will be a great & memorable time ... AGAIN!
And so, though I wish all who've ever attended, or wanted to attend, a Great Mohican Gathering COULD be here, I know that isn't going to happen. Not this year; not any year. The difference, for me, is that this year I'm not gong to fret over who CAN'T come, I'm simply going to enjoy the company of those who CAN! I hope you all can do the same!
The Great Mohican Gatherings are greater than any one individual. Their specialness is truly the sum of their parts ... and there'll be plenty of parts this year!
Hunker down, bear with the inevitable bad news of the cancellations (few and far between over the years), and get ready for a GOOD time!
Whew ... I didn't mean to get so carried away.
Don't miss the Special Raffle we have going this year, whether or not you'll be attending!
And, please see the new installment, and additions, to our Fort William Henry section, "From The Ramparts."