A Special Thanks to my WCC Family!

Hi guys!

As some of you may know (aka Discord peeps) I graduated high school today!! :D  It's been a long, very exciting, very happy, very tiring day, so I'll keep this brief xD  Since my graduating class was so small (8 people) each of us got to deliver a speech we wrote ourselves, and I would like to share part of mine with you all~

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"When I was little, if there were two things that I loved most in this world, it was reading and animals. Whenever my mom took me to the library, I would dump as many books from the animal section that I could possibly carry into the cart, to the point where one time when we went to check out we actually exceeded the total number of books you can take out at once.  (The limit is 99 by the way). As I got older, fiction began to catch my interest in the same way non-fiction did, but compared to all of the books I had read up until that point though, none would compare to one series: the Warrior Cats books by Erin Hunter. This saga had everything that I loved in a story back in sixth grade, and when I eventually bought the first book and started reading, I didn’t put it down until I had turned the last page at 3AM the same night. While reading through one of the later books in the series though, there was a moment where the writer was describing a waterfall. As I was reading the passage, I had a sudden epiphany; I was so impressed and awed by the beauty of this waterfall...even though it didn’t even exist. The place wasn’t real, but words had brought it to life in my mind. I could see it clearly, and that was the moment I realized that I could make places feel alive like that too, through my own words. After that, dramatic as it might sound, my life changed, and I had found what someday I would call my greatest passion. I started out writing fanfiction based in the Warriors universe, before eventually discovering a website of fellow fans who all wrote together in a fashion known as roleplaying. Yes, I am in fact a giant nerd, and I have no shame. I’ve been on that site for about two and a half years now, and it’s thanks to the amazing community I’ve met on there that I’ve been able to explore and hone my writing skills.

Writing has been more of a blessing to my life than I ever could have imagined. It has helped me to see the beauty of our world through the pains of life, and even in my darkest moments, either my own or someone else’s writing was always able to inspire me and get me back on the right track. Everything from books to TV shows, movies, comic books, music, and even video games have the ability to inspire you, and maybe even spark some ideas of your own. Writing a story is just like painting a picture. You have to answer many questions, such as where you want your characters to go, what they will do, and how they will feel. At the same time, you have to think about your audience; what do you want them to feel? Where do you want them to go during the time you’re able to capture their attention, and most importantly to me, what do you want them to do once they’ve experienced the story you’ve told? In my case, I want to be able to inspire people in the same way Warriors inspired me; I want to be able to make their lives a little bit brighter and maybe even help them out of a low point in their life. I want people to someday read the words I’ve poured my heart into, and be able to find a piece of my passion hidden within the pages. I believe with sincerity that I’ve found my calling; to share the light and wisdom God has given me with the world through my future stories. No matter what passions or talents you have, or what career you have chosen, you can do the same. So, don’t underestimate the power of a good story. You’ll never know what will inspire you until that something comes along, and if that tale inspires you and brings you joy - no matter what it is - God can use it to help you find your way through the greatest story you’ll ever experience; life itself."

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You all mean so much to me, and I honestly wouldn't be the person I am today without WCC.  My time on staff (and currently as leader) really helped me to learn about responsibility and problem-solving, and how to be confident in my choices, things which I used to struggle with at times.  And of course, every topic I've done with each of you, every single post I give no matter how short or crappy, is a step of growth, and it means the world to me.  The stories we've created here, all of the characters I brought to life in my mind and heart, will go on with me into this next stage of my life.  I will remember the morals and lessons of cats like Leopardstar, Ryeheart, Night, Finchstream, Pansyface, and Fernpetal.  I will also take heed of the choices that pit Laurelsong and Aspenpaw into destruction, and remember them as I make choices in this vast, complicated world.  I know this post kinda sounds like a goodbye, but it's definitely not!  I will stay with you all for as long as I can, and eventually, when the time does come to say goodbye, I will do so with a bittersweet smile.  Thank you WCC, for always inspiring me; past, present, and future!