4 Reasons I (a WOMAN) Love Video Games

One of my all time favorite movies as a child was Mary Poppins* and it wasn’t because of the story line, or the singing, or the hilarious interludes for adult humor (and not for the purse that every woman envies). I love it for the same reason that Blue’s Clues* rocks. Really though, do you remember the part where Blue Skadood? I love Mary Poppins* because it opened my child mind up to imagining how AMAZING it would be to  have the ability to jump right into any beautiful painting, create my own story inside of it, explore the beauty first hand, and jump right out whenever I was ready. I can’t tell you how many times (in adulthood) I have stood gazing at an art piece, day dreaming, haunted (in bittersweet pleasantness) of the concept that Mary Poppins* introduced to my child mind.

Let’s face it, our childhood dreams, more often than not, do stick with us to some degree as we progress through life. They may get tattered down, bruised, and kicked by the bloodthirsty “real world,” but they do whisper to us.

So Why do I love video games, as a woman?

1. For starters, it made one of of my dearest little girl (and big girl) dreams possible. You see, I CAN jump into a piece of art, create, explore, and jump right out whenever I’m ready- or before I’m ready, depending on when the crying starts- I won’t clarify if I’m referring to my baby or my husband (kidding). But seriously, games these days are created with such intricate graphics, that you are virtually walking through art.
2. Because I am a woman and a mom. “What kind of answer is that?” A great one! And it’s not because I’m biased- it’s just an analytical and fantastically true response. You see, video games satisfy my thirst and longing for adventure that did not just go away by virtue of becoming a mom. My sense of adventure, my desire to explore, my desire to create- that’s all still very alive and awake inside of me and if anything, once a woman becomes a mother, a point comes where she is awakened to the profound depths of her (willing AND loving) sacrifice of freedom she made when she chose the role of mother. I may not be able to get in my car and drive across the state, but I can mount a horse, as an elf, with a sword, craft some healing tonics, pick some flowers, visit some villages, go to battle, and pick out new clothes (Elder Scrolls Reference), finish some laundry, and start dinner, all before my daughter wakes up from her 2 hour nap. Now if that’s not super mom status right there, I don’t know what is!
3. It gives me an opportunity for artistic expression, without the mess. If you’re a mom, you know that life can sometimes (almost always) feel like non stop cleaning. You can clean endlessly but despite your efforts, by the end of the day (or sometimes the hour) you are unable to recognize what it was that you cleaned. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to paint during my daughter’s nap but was deterred because of how much work it takes to get all the supplies, use them, then clean them up, let everything dry, and put everything away. Ain’t nobody got time for that. (I actually do still paint every now and then). The biggest mess video games make, is snack crumbs on the couch!
4. Finally, I care about gaming because it means a lot to my husband, and he means a lot to me. Luckily for him, I’ve had in interest in games since I was young, he just helped me discover what kind of games I really really like (shout out to open world games). And ladies, if that’s not you, not every man is the same, but I know mine appreciates when I pretend to care about his video games, even if he knows that I really don’t. That might be your man too, and if you find out it is, do what I do sometimes- sit with him on the couch while he plays, make fun of the hilarious things he says, and ask him questions about everything that you can think of.

*I sincerely apologize to anyone that reads this and does not understand my reference to either of these, more so because you missed out on two great things- and now three because you won’t fully understand this post.