Leaving Home
by Phoenix, HSM team writer
How many of us wanted to run away from home as a child?
How many did run away, to the back porch or grandma’s house, or just until supper was ready? Whatever problems that caused you to want to runaway from home, seem to also plague some people here in Home. It’s true that people run away from Home every day. Some Home residents leave and don’t return, while others leave and do return.
Case in point: I recently ran into a friend from Home. This person was the first friend I had, and in fact was the reason I came to Home. In the last year, things happened and we lost touch, as people sometimes do. When we met again recently, we got to talking about things, and Home came up.
We both noted it had been a while since we had both been in Home. For me it was months; for them, nearly a year, give or take. They had no idea of the many new things in Home. They had been off since the first overhaul of the bowing alley. They left Home by choice. I have been away for a number of reasons, and though I haven’t been on Home much lately, I have kept up on most of the new and coming events as well as additions to Home.
After speaking with my friend, I went into Home and visited all my personal spaces. I went to the new and sparkling places on the navigator. The Halloween game in the action district was great. I visited the beach, the Home Grown event, and the open-house tours of new spaces; everything that had come to Home since my last visit. Pier Park in its autumn finery was a wonderful surprise for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Ever since the visit I had with my friend, I got to thinking about the idea of leaving Home for good, as my friend had no desire to return. I then popped into my wardrobe and scanned my clothing. I checked on my companions, and took inventory of my furnishings. I realized I had invested a good deal of cash into my Home world and possessions, as have most of you. As I recalled my friend had done the same thing.
So the question arose: what would make someone just leave Home after putting a small fortune into their life there? Wouldn’t that be throwing money away? Can you afford to do that in this economy? Even if you put yourself on a budget, what could cause you to just call it a loss and not come to Home any more?
And the biggest question: why?
Is it a general disappointment in Home itself or in the population in Home? A lack of something searched for and not found, perhaps? What makes people come to Home in the first place? Some people I’ve met come to meet others. Some came out of curiosity about their other friends being there. Some come for the games new and old in Home. Let’s face it — Home has become the gaming platform it was envisioned to be. There are so many reasons people come to Home; it would take all day (and more than one article) to delve into them. Whatever the reason, something makes some leave. Some come back, and some don’t. It depends on the reason they left, I would suppose.
I have come back more than once. I wonder what I would do with all my stuff if I decide to leave Home for good. There would be no yard sale, no virtual Craigslist to advertise and sell off my goods, no eBay. I thought perhaps I would delete my whole existence there.
Then I thought: no.
That would really be a waste. I couldn’t see doing that. I know the value of a dime. Besides that, everything I own in Home I purchased after long and careful thought. So no, I wouldn’t be deleting my investments. Then I thought of selling my properties, and belongings. I could in the real world, but here? You can’t call up Home real estate agents and list your Plum Pavilion, or whatever estate you have.
No, I don‘t think that is even something that would catch on. Really, how many would use or even think of that? Thinking about this subject, I had a nice chuckle to myself. I don’t expect any of these things to ever come into future play at PlayStation or Home. I don’t know if I will ever leave and not return, either. I do know that, good or bad, I will visit Home until (and unless) there is no Home to visit.
Yes, I have considered leaving once or twice, but I come back. I miss the true friends I have in Home. I miss catching up on the new games and recommended attractions arriving weekly. Home is what we make of it; virtual or otherwise. For me, any bad experiences I had on Home do not outweigh the fun I have. Home is like anywhere else: you have to surround yourself with positive people and positive things. Anything negative sucks away any light and joy, so don’t give into the negative. Home was designed to be fun and different.
I intend take it that way and enjoy it.
December 4th, 2012 by Phoenix | 2 comments
Phoenix writes poetry and is a photography enthusiast, along with writing for HomeStation Magazine. She is currently studying for a BFA in Creative Writing and BA with concentration in Photography. psn ID phoenixstorm21
youtube.com/user/phoenixstorm21
I’m not going to stay because of money I spent although I suppose it is an incentive to stay in some small part. I’m more interested in what’s going to happen and as long as there are new and interesting things to play or experiment with and I’m either enjoying myself or learning something. I expect I’ll stay and not runaway or walk away.
I don’t know if as a child or as a grownup I wanted to runaway from something… oh at times if a big old bear or something that scared me or made me feel unnerved, then sure. Or maybe I wanted to instead of running away from something I was wanting to run after something else, some new whether it was exciting or a new place to learn.
Could be I will runaway from it all someday. Still some stuff to learn though.
I considered leaving once. A friend pulled me off that ledge with out knowing they did that. I love Home, and your point is very good: “don’t give into the negative”. This place is fun and for some of the people I have known, the drama they loathe, is the drama they start. I believe that Home is a place where you are sorta responsible for your fun and happy. If you want to play a game, play it, if you want to go a certain place, go. This is your virtual reality, make it fun for you. I can’t go into anybody’s home and arrange their furniture, that’s for the owner to do in their style. Grab this place by the horns and make it whatever type of fun you want, that’s how you enjoy Home. Great article Phoenix, and great points.