I don't make blog entries often, or at all really, but I wanted to share something that happened while I was at an anime convention last weekend.

I was walking through the mall attached to the convention center on my first day there, before I had even gotten my badge to get in yet, dressed in my Fluttershy cosplay. I walked past a mother and her two little children, and the little girl, likely no more than five, walked up to me and stared at me wide-eyed. Looking at her Mane six-print dress I could easily see why she was looking at me, so I bent down to say hi to her. As I bent down she pointed to a picture of Fluttershy on her dress and said "Fluttershy", indicating that she recognized me as a character she really liked. I did my best impression of her, which wasn't very good but seemed to work well enough anyways, and was met with continued staring from the shy little kid who'd decided that she had found a real-life Equestria Girl. Her mom asked for a picture and I posed with the little one, then she very genuinely thanked me, clearly very happy that her child was happy without a care in the world as to whether or not my being in such a costume was "weird".

People say a lot of nasty things about us as a fandom, and one of the favored remarks of those who don't approve of us is that we ruin something that was made for children, especially for little girls. This singular incident likely wouldn't sway anyone one way or another in that argument, but it tells me one thing loud and clear. If getting called a dumb gross pathetic brony means that I get to make a little kid's day, that I get to bring happiness to a family, then I'm ok with that. People can say what they want about me and what I do, they can hate me for liking a little kids show if they're so intent on it, but being an active part of this fandom means that I get to make people smile, and as long as that's true then I see no reason to ever leave.