I've always wanted to start writing but could never get myself to it because I've never been much of a writer. So, in a truly meta fashion, I am going to use this article as an excuse to finally start and just enjoy the process.
This story is from a couple months ago when I was still in university. I felt more lost than ever, constantly switching between goals and interests, never being able to settle. I hated waking up every day but I couldn't sleep either. I kept switching between things so fast. I was searching for something that could help me make sense of it all.
One day I stumbled across this YouTube video titled ‘how you play games is how you do everything’. I like to think it was some kind of a divine intervention because I’d already downloaded Ghost of Tsushima on my PC but never got around to playing it. But the problem was that I’d always just “grinded” games. I’d get through them so fast that I was left asking myself ‘now what?’. This video made me want to change. And I asked myself,
Why do I keep rushing from one quest to the next?
I wanted to experience the game differently, and in doing so, maybe change the way how I approached life. So I began playing the game slowly, drifting off from the objective, taking time to really explore the world. And it didn’t help (or it actually helped) that the game had such stunning environment design— one of the best I’d ever seen. Some places were truly breathtaking. I finally felt a sense of peace I hadn’t experienced in months.
At this one particular point in the game, I discovered that you could sit down at some of the most beautiful spots in the game and write haikus. It seemed like such a simple addition but it made me realize how much I was enjoying the game when I just allowed myself to be present. Another really unique aspect about the game was the absence of a map on the screen, like most video games. Instead, you had to follow the winds to get to your next objective. It seemed like such a beautiful metaphor for life— trusting the winds to guide you.
I truly started to see the parallels. I got too caught up in a rat race that I did not even want to be part of. I’d been rushing through life the same way I rushed through video games— always grinding, always seeking the next quest, but never stopping to savor the moments. I had forgotten to just trust the winds. Playing this game has been one of the most cathartic experiences of my life.
And if you are still reading this, I invite you to take a step back, take a deep breath and ask yourself— am I rushing from one quest to the next? Because if you are, remember: it’s okay to stray from the “path”. Because it is only when you come back that you are more sure of it than ever. And on the off-chance that you do get lost, the winds will always be there to guide you.