Those dark gray clouds foreshadow a week of rain…we just don’t know it yet.
June 22, 2023—Nick is grinning widely. He’s with two good friends, twelve hours from home, early to the 160th Gettysburg reenactment. Early means more time to walk the ground and enjoy each other’s company. The property owner has just finished giving them an ATV tour of the fields where they’ll be “fighting” in the days ahead. Nick’s smile feels genuine, the kind that only comes with anticipation and belonging.
He did forget his glasses back in Maine. They’re being shipped his way, but for now he feels a little farby (reenactor-speak for too modern). Back home, his relationship is drawing to a conclusion and will be over by the time he returns. For this week, though, Gettysburg comes first.
I’m drawn to this image since I missed so many events this year. Reenacting remains the best community I’ve found. Most of my closest friends came from the hobby, so distance has been painful. There are pros and cons to my current location, but the hardest is how far I am from the field.
Still, I like to plant myself back in this version of Nick. Two years ago feels like ten in terms of growth, and twenty in the friendships forged on campaign. Yet when I close my eyes, I can still hear the laughter, feel the warmth of the cook fire, and remember having no idea we’d be soaked for the rest of the event. Worth it.
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