To my gaming / gamer friends:
Play’s as old as the human race, likely far older. And pretty much forever, it has been about preparing youth for what’s to come in the world.
We turned a lot of that on its head with Dungeons and Dragons and Vampire and Werewolf and Fading Suns and ALL of the amazing stories we brought into our adult years.
But look at who we played! Look at what we did! I remember, so clearly playing with -brilliant- people, with -brave- people, who consistently overcame insane odds to win the day.
Even the people who played our ‘villains’ — and who I frankly didn’t thank enough for the great work they did, sometimes at personal expense — they put passion into their work. They brought out the best in us and they produced awesome stories.
So here we are…
Standing at the edge of a real world, in very real peril, and I have the words of artists like Bill Bridges and Phil Brucato and Sean Patrick Fannon and dozens of others in my head. I have the stories they inspired and played in and created.
We played against the darkness for a number of years. We -practiced- for this. So when you feel that deep despair, that bone-numbing sadness, I’m asking you, hells –I’m begging you–, to remember.
To reach inside to that character you once played. Remember them. Remember that their strength came from you AND IT IS STILL THERE.
I can’t repeat this enough. You are beautiful, you are brave, you are clever and you are all crazy in just the right ways. Celebrate the small victories with your friends, howl at the moon, brace for winter and bring a lamp and 50 ft of rope.
If it helps, name those characters in the comments. Invoke them.
You are my friends and I love you. All that you dream possible, I’ve seen you play. -You- are up for this even if you don’t think so.
I believe in you.