Dungeons and dragons

Some evenings, after the dishes are done and the kids are in bed, my husband likes to play video games. I’ll often keep him company, sitting on the couch and offering running commentary interspersed with advice of questionable utility.

Most recently, he’s been playing the latest Legend of Zelda (LoZ) game. As someone who devoted many hours of my youth to defeating the first LoZ, the current iteration feels foreign. Gone are the 8-bit graphics and endlessly repeating music, replaced with advanced animation and a full-blown score.

Although I would hardly describe this current season of my life as an epic adventure, I identify with Link. His world, Hyrule, has been upended and it will take him going on a long and difficult journey to restore it. Along the way, he meets some new people and learns some new tricks. It’s a quest that calls for resourcefulness and patience.

As I move through this process of recovery, I think about the first screen of the original LoZ game. At the top, on the left, is the entrance to a cave. Inside is a man with a fire on either side. In front of him sits a wooden sword. His message? “It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this!” Like Link, I’ve got tools to help me. Best of all, I am not alone.