Of all the certificates, for all I've done in my life, only one is framed. Only one is displayed on my wall.
My Dedicant Program certificate.
It sits just to the left of my altar, displayed proudly.
My completion of the DP is one of those things I'm most proud of. In a way, it verified my piety. It showed that I was really, truly dedicated to what I said I was, that the words that came from my mouth were true.
Of course, that piece of paper, pretty as it is, didn't change me. It didn't open some magical door.
It did give me an external validation that I wasn't just "making it up" or "pretending to do rituals." When I held that piece of paper in my hands for the first time, I knew I wasn't "out in the woods playing Druid." No, I was actually living it.
And that is what means the most to me.
