I’ve been incredibly productive since I’ve disconnected from Facebook and Instagram. I’ve been busy building a homestead, hunting rabbits, beaver, and wild boar, crafting boots, weapons, and other survival items and it’s been so satisfying. Unfortunately not in real life, but in a game called The Trail.
Camille, reading over my shoulder, commented, “I wouldn’t call that productive Mom . . .” Yes, I know sweetie. It’s a joke. I traded one fake life for another. But this one brings me joy and satisfaction and the other one caused me angst and stress.
Caleb made fun of me: “That looks like a dumb game,” but next thing you know he’s asking me where to find the birch sticks needed to make a better slingshot.
Anyway, in real life we’ve been busy/not busy with remote school, additional community closures (malls and restaurants are dropping to 30% capacity), movie theaters closing (so no in person church until that reverses — it’s been almost 1 year since we’ve been able to meet), and waiting for them to announce that we won’t be going back to school in person on Sunday as was previously announced.
The vaccine push has been so successful that they are now running out of doses and have started turning people away for second shots unless they are over 50. The nice thing is I’ve only been hearing about all these announcements second-hand and have rejected my need to be a “breaking news” reporter of information. Instead I’m busy turning my frontier homestead into a house, weaving cloth out of hemp fiber and upgrading my clothing so I can take longer treks through the various trail ecosystems without running out of energy.
It’s comical to think that Josh and I are thoroughly entertained by an evening on the couch, watching a TV show together, while also playing the same game individually. When one of us mutters, “I need another rabbit,” or “Where did that flint pebble go?” the other knows exactly what they mean. It’s a shared virtual existence that mirrors our desire to eventually live somewhere where we can have an expanse of land, be surrounded by nature, and freedom to roam.
I am not a game person at all and certainly not a video game/phone game kind of person, but this bit of simulated life is bringing me joy these days. I don’t know what that says about the quality of real life in 2021, but I’m content for now.
Oh what a fun game. I loved hearing you talk about it. I hope you do get some real land someday to garden, compost, raise chickens etc.