I’ve been absolutely about Minecraft lately. I started a new world in the beta called, of course, Betancourt Manor. The idea was to build a single house in the world and from that do all of my questing. I wanted the house to be a cool and fun design merging all of my traditional crafting ideas as well as having a massive secret space deep beneath the mansion straight up Batman style. I’ve made considerable progress on the Batman stuff (more coolness is required down there) and the best part so far has been the zen it provides me as I craft and listen to stories.
Admittedly, crafting and listening is a lesser form of creation than just writing, but as I reflect I recognize that I am unfocused and more than a little ‘off’ and needed this. I let the Covid stress get to me. It wasn’t fear of getting sick but worries about being a good lover and being a good partner and being a good dad. I let this deep and close contact get in my head and rob me of any sense I had of creativity and balance. I didn’t handle it nearly as well as I believe I could and I retreated into the Minecraft world where I had nearly absolute control of everything around me.
Minecraft is a useful escape and I’ve used it as such. However, writing is also an escape. When I fall into the words I get the same rush as with crafting, only the high is better and purer and longer lasting… and harder to obtain. I was taking the easy high, and more and more I see that in my kids–taking the easy way vs. the tougher more meaningful route. I need to be an example in all that I do. Balancing crafting and writing and working and training is a huge part of that.
Some Thoughts:
- Week has gone by very fast and very slow at once. Tomorrow is Wednesday and I cannot believe it came so quickly. However each day has felt long in a good way.