Revelations is a really magical time - the excitement is palpable & everyone is eager to find out who has been chosen to mentor this current class of pledges. It is not just that though - it is in fact much more than that. You don’t just find out who your Big is at Revelations, but also the line & family that you belong to. It is one of the rare times that you realise as a pledge just how many people in the Chapter care about you - when the spotlight is solely on you, albeit very briefly, and you really bask in everybody’s full and undivided attention. It’s this mixture of excitement, suspense, and raw unadulterated eagerness that really makes Revelations special to me.
The construct of the big/little relationship is a fascinating one - it’s one that says that you’ll both care and help for one another, one that goes above and beyond a friendship. It’s made of the same fabric that makes us a fraternity, that our bonds are more special than just normal friendships, and that at the end of the day we know that we can call each other Brothers. The moment of each reveal is a truly special one, filled with joy, delight, and seeing what the future has in store for them, and even as someone who barely understands or shows any emotion, I can’t help but have a wide grin on my face after seeing every pair get revealed.
To all the pledges & Bigs - please realise how lucky and special this relationship you now possess is. You are extremely fortunate to be a part of this sacred process, and although things may or may not have worked out the way you expected it to, at the end of the day you are now in a relationship where both of you care for each other. You are now bound to each other, and it is up to both of you to learn, understand, and communicate with each other. Who you were paired with shouldn’t change the fact that you both owe it to each other to try and make the relationship work, and only when that happens can special things blossom.
The excitement I feel going to Revelations still hasn't diminished one bit after all of my terms in APO, and I genuinely feel happy when I see the smiles on other people's faces. It's one of the few times where I feel truly at peace, where I can suspend any worries or concerns I have elsewhere, & just focus on the sheer amount of joy that we can bring one another if we really put our minds to it. Revelations is a truly beautiful event in the term, & I can't wait to see what the future has in store for all of the lucky pairs on Sunday.
P.S. Shoutout to Kathy (you're okay I guess) - I'm really over the moon to have picked you up