Back in 2004, I was having a rough time. I was broke, frequently jobless, addicted to FFXI, and severely depressed. My apartment was stacked with pizza boxes and empty Chinese food containers because I was too sad and lazy to cook anything for myself. It was a bad year.
One Doper, UrbanChic, extended her hand to me. She barely knew me but offered to bring food over and keep me company and talk. I never accepted her help and didn’t follow-up on the friendship, but years later, I think very, very fondly of her. I wish I had let her pass through the armor I used to keep anyone from getting too close. She was so very kind and I would go very long lengths to reciprocate that kindness now.
Now in 2011, things are totally different. I’m working full-time at a very good wage and going to school in the evening. I’ve got a comfortable home in a good neighborhood, friends, and a girlfriend who is very good to me.
UrbanChic, if you still read these boards, thank you and I hope I’ll get to speak to you again one day. If anyone on the boards knows her, I would be extremely grateful if you passed the message along.
You just never know the impact you make on people, even as words written on message boards. There have been several people on this board who have been so kind to me over the past ten years and even more on another board I frequent. Words of encouragement, sweet offers when it’s known you’re down on your luck. They mean the world, but it’s funny because just like you I never followed up. I guess shame played a part. I said things on the board I wish I hadn’t; I shared too much. Some people took advantage and found the need to be hateful but others didn’t think twice about sending me private messages of encouragement and kindness. I wish I’d followed through and responded properly to all of them but I was so embarrassed about the whole thing I didn’t want to revisit it at the time. But it changed me. It was one of those little reminders that there is a lot of good in the world and at the time I really needed that.
Please, no. That chapter in my life is pretty much closed.
Funny, I farmed forever to make enough for a Blau Dolch, then stopped playing a few weeks after I got it. Never did get my hands on a Hagun or Soboro Sukehiro… augh! Stop, no, no more! :o
<<—Quit when they bumped the level cap up past 75. Still miss it sometimes but…all the people I loved stopped playing, and the game has changed so much that it’s completely different now.
I found out when I was going through bad times how many people on here genuinely care. It’s a good group of folks around here. I tried to thank the people who made a difference to me, but I’m sure I managed to miss some.
Whether or not she ultimately gets your message, hopefully UrbanChic is somewhere feeling appreciated.
After they removed the level cap on all of the outdoor areas, you could solo the mobs for a Soboro. Swift Belt too. And Haguns are probably cheap now, given all the Magian weapons, you just have to do some killing and camping