Shared Stories, Wizard101 helped you.

[Bailey Jade]

I was thinking how nice it would be to share stories in ways that Wizards101 impacted you in a positive way.

I know I have shared this story few times, but I will share again. I was in a very bad place when I started playing the game. My son introduced me to the game and I just loved it. It was an escape for me. It had such a magical feel to it. Over time, I had met my husband playing wizards and we been married now for 8 years and going strong. Being we both came from previous marriages, we decided to have a simple wedding and married by the Justice of the Peace. She wanted to met us prior, so when we did she asked us how we met. My husband said, Well, we met in a Old Town, in the Shopping District in a Bazzar. I bust out laughing.

Now, what stories can you share?

[Dylan Windwalker]

I definitely have more friends that I regularly talk to in the game than in real life and the friends I have made and I suppose are still out there is definitely the best part of the game. Like outside of the game, my friends are far away (like most of my friends are scattered across the countryside and I don't drive so we never meet up) and they always mix their work life with their personal life to the point that I don't often appreciate their company. But in the game, people play it to escape their work life and just enjoy their time plus I can go to anybody I want to see with little effort. I just feel like the distance between my W101 friends are far less than any of my real life friends I barely talk to anymore, not to mention more friends in W101 would go out of their way to talk to me first before I talk to them, which feels nice because it feels like I matter enough to them. Not to mention, I feel wanted in the game more than I feel wanted in real life like people would ask for my help for whatever their problem is and that just doesn't happen in real life even if I present myself as willing to help (but I mean I suppose I'll get to that point in real life too hopefully Idk, people in real life have a "do it yourself" mentality driven into them... not about to philosophize about people's behaviors in society... cause I don't feel like typing that long).

Anyhow until I'm introduced to an alternative that works as well in the things I just said, W101 is simply the special medium for me to enjoy even though the spiral is turning into a dumpster fire lol

[Pegasus Unbound]

I am so glad you are revisiting this topic. It is very important for us to share our stories and feelings so we can discover the most powerful element of the game AND Central...That we are NOT alone and that there ARE others who know, understand and share our feelings.

I have made no effort on any level to hide that BOTH the game and Central are virtually my only escape. Just look around you and you will discover a HUGE population of people who for various reasons are unable to be part of the so called "normal" world.

I can not work any kind of regular job because of my bipolar "triggers". I am NOT anti social, but I am anti stupid. My ability to restrain myself from stepping in and defending someone, even at the high risk of my own life, is all but gone. If I'm working behind a counter and somebody becomes a "Karen", I have no qualms with putting them firmly in their place...even if it means slapping them upside the head.

Some may ask about the fact that with my best friends we buy old houses, restore, update and renovate them to become affordable rentals for growing families in need and how I can do this being bipolar. The answer is simple, in addition to this, we have set up a program that allows them to focus for 5 years on stabilizing their financial condition, then WE (Not a bank) set them up on a program that lets them buy the house from us directly at below market value (No interest calculations, just a fixed price, fixed payments for a fixed time frame) so they have a dream to work towards that later becomes a goal and eventually a reality. I love this work because I do not answer to others, I can work when I feel good and when the days are bad, stay away until I am better...and the personal satisfaction for giving others hope has a value beyond measure.

So the VAST majority of my time is spent staying safe and sane inside insanity here in my little W101 and Central world. Am I crazy? Yeppers! Do I accept my insanity? Yeppers! In fact I have learned that only by embracing it can I find any measure of control...and now it is the "normal" people that really scare me.

This is why these threads need to be revived on a regular basis. You are not alone, you may and probably are unique BUT you are not alone. You will be amazed at how many people can share and understand what you go through IF you just stop hiding, open up and share. Just think about the words of the ICONIC song..."Lean on me".

Both in game and here at Central I have come to make so many cherished friends that share my feelings. I am no longer alone in a world that is getting worse and worse every day leaving me screaming "Drive, stop the world I want to get off on the next stop".

My very dear friends here know who they are and how very much their friendship means to me.

Love and hugs!