As the title suggests, I meant my significate other through gaming. Gaming has changed my life so much, from meeting different types of people to being in charge of a whole guild. I got even as lucky as to meet some of them in real life! Relationships within gaming always seem to be a mix of positivity and toxicity. For some reason, people can’t be happy for others.
The Search
Through gaming, I was able to find a special someone that would become my life partner. Our story began with a game called Lineage 2. We were friends for a while and finally decided to start something more. The funny thing was we made plans to meet within the next 2-3 years. Instead, thanks to a very good friend of my wife’s, we met in the SAME YEAR we made the plans.
Searching for someone to be with always ends up where either of you is trying too hard to make it work. The situation becomes a dead-end, and neither party is pleased. Finding a particular person is an equal effort; a balance is needed. Find that balance, and you will be surprised at what happens. Don’t forget those who are always next to you.
The Balance
One thing that made our life difficult was being long-distance. I don’t mean in a different state, but in another country (The Netherlands). To put it into perspective, The Netherlands is 6 hours ahead of where I lived in the US. Sometimes it was super tricky between work, gaming, and making a long-distance relationship work. Therefore enhancing our relationship to be on video chat 24/7 was one way to keep us “in” on the relationship. In other words, a long-distance relationship can work for anyone that puts in hard work and dedication. As such, we are living proof.
The biggest thing about a long-distance relationship is you MUST be honest, and trustful, and communicate everything. Communication is a huge factor in making any relationship work long-distance or not. So many people didn’t make relationships work because they failed to be open with their partners. Make sure you understand each other and how you both view things laid on the table. Never assume anything.
The Community
As any Gamer knows, people can be very toxic. So many people attacked my wife in the game, trying to spread rumors or just put things between us. One thing was that we were on video chat 24/7; we had no secrets. Every time people tried to pull something over on us, we would laugh as we sat together. Luckily, we had good friends who supported us and even helped us meet!
Finally, gaming has been an outlet for me since I was a kid, diving into a magical world and having fun beating bosses or crafting the next big item. Most of my relationships would fall short as we never connected on any level and were short-lived as there was no real honest communication. The fact that I could find a fantastic partner and have two amazing boys is a life changer. I urge anyone that finds a special person that puts as much effort as yourself into a relationship to push and see it through!