Look, I know it's just a game. A fun thing, to pass the time. But sometimes...
See, my dad died this week. He was 85, had a long and mostly happy life, suffered for a very short time and died in comfort, loved and mourned by many.
And in the midst of all the phone calls and dealing with cousins and funeral homes and lawyers, I went into WoW for a bit of a break, and came across Gar'rok. (If you're not level 98 yet this next bit is a spoiler, sorry.)
He's an elderly orc standing on a beautiful green hillside in Nagrand. He asks you to get him an Ember Bloom. When you bring it to him, he lays down and dies, then rises as a ghost from his body, and the ghost of his wife comes to meet him and welcome him into the next world.
And sometimes, characters made of pixels transmitted on the Internet can stir the heart. And in my own heart, I hope my mom was there to meet my dad in much the same way.
Two things out of this: My dad was a good, kind person who gave to his family and community and expected little in return. His greatest pleasures came from doing things for others. And he was a lifelong Republican. His New England brand of Republicanism is out of fashion in the party these days -- he supported women's right to choose and same-sex couples' right to marry -- and while we frequently canceled one another's votes, we never lost respect for one another as people. I hope to keep that respect even as I continue to fight for my beliefs, to remember that the people on the other side are still people.
And: The Wreck List has many good and kind people in it. Many of you have asked if there's something you can do, and you're already doing it, just by being there and helping me enjoy the game and the guild that have given me a needed escape from various struggles. A couple of you are nearby, and you may be hearing from me. But if you want to do something more, go out in your own community and make someone's life better.
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