From DPS to Healer

What are the real differences?
Here is a couple of random thoughts that stroke me along the way.
First, you cannot AFK as a healer: you need to always be looking at your screen, this is the end of semi afking during trash. You as a healer is the person that should never lag/DC or whatnot.
Second is judgment, as a DPS the only judgment you need is enough intellect to not pull from the tank (although quite hard these days)or not break CC, as a healer you will more than often need to assess very quickly whats going on and heal the right person first (usually it ends up by either you or the tank). But the usual rule does not always apply (applies only in 5men in fact), in a raid everything is different, for example as a paladin, i usually choose to not heal myself (Spiritual Attunement will give me mana back).
As a healer I can decide where I am going ... there is always a spot for a healer ... as a DPS it's more problematic to find !
As a healer I get a lot of whispers to be invited to groups for Heroics/Raids ... even if it's happening on my hunter because people know me ... it is not THAT often !
And remember:
When the tank dies it's the healer's fault, when the healer dies it's the tank's fault, when a DPS dies ... we told you to stay out of the fire ;-)

Tonight's madness

So here we are, 10 guildies from Legion, we just one shotted Sapphiron and Kel'Thuzad in Naxx. A quick look at the guild roster shows 19 of us online, then started the idea: why not try the 25man version? Quick wispers to a few friends to fill out the 6 spots remaining and off to Naxx again !
We ended up clearing the spider wing without problems (except our first try on Maexxna when a web wrap wiped us at 2%).
First real 25man experience for me as a healer, I've learn a lot tonight. A lot of fun and more to come.

I Heal Things

I did it, it was unexpected or somehow not that obvious ... But I ended up doing it.
But what is "it", I finally (and almost definetly) specced my Paladin Holy.
This weird but not uncommon event occurred within minutes of the big 8-0 ding. Everything was planned, I already had a few nice pieces of gear waiting for me in the bank, the unexpected part was one of my guild's officers asking me right away to heal an heroic! By right away i mean I was still attributing my talent points when I receive the summon !

From this time on my destiny was sealed: I had to gear myself up as fast and as far as possible.

Two weeks later I am sporting a 3-piece Tier 7 and other nice purple goodies, and still working on it.

Ding

There is always a very important moment in a toon's lifetime referred as "Ding", this moment is even more important if you reach "level cap". A friend once told me (before I even started playing WoW): "the game only begins once you reach level cap". Granted it is not my first "level cap ding", my hunter and my mage reached level 70 a long time ago, my hunter was also the first of my toons to reach 80. But this is actually the first time this toon reach a level cap.

What is so special about my paladin? Why is she different from the others?

At first I will propose the playing experience, I have leveled her knowing what I was doing.

Is it really? No!

She is the first toon that has a purpose she is the first toon that has the opportunity to be something else than a damage dealer (DPS).

After thinking seriously and thouroughfully about it, she will be a healer, she will heal things for a living!