This article is from Nguyen Truong Huy submitted for the Golden Pen 2020, the editorial team has only adjusted the presentation to suit.
Relationships that start from games are not uncommon, but whether it’s love or friendship, it still raises doubts in others, with the thought that in a virtual world, everything is just an illusion.
Even myself, I have often felt lost and adrift in real life. I eagerly immersed myself in the virtual world of games as if trying to regain a certain balance, to recover a bit of trust that had been stolen from me.
But sometimes what I receive from that virtual world is not as beautiful as I thought. Because perhaps what I get from games is not only joy and smiles but sometimes also sadness and tears.
From that, I understand that the virtual world in games, though not real in life, is populated by real people, with real feelings, thoughts, and genuine sharing.
The first game I knew was Audition. Initially, I joined for fun, because I liked it, because it was entertaining, and also because I felt lonely and empty.
There, I got to know and make friends with countless people, sometimes even I can’t remember who they are. And then, after a few gentle tumbles, when I felt my openness to share was limited, I gradually removed unnecessary, superficial, and immature relationships. I kept only those friends who truly understood and connected with me.
My closest friends to this day probably also came from games. There are experienced older brothers and sisters, and mischievous younger siblings… There are heartfelt conversations, giving and receiving in a carefree manner, without selfishness or calculation. That virtual world in games also gave me a special friend. A person who, whenever I think of them, makes my heart feel warm, light, and at peace. From that virtual world, we came together, sincerely, closely, and without pretense. We laughed together, shared, and sometimes even cried together.
And perhaps for me, games are a private place to shelter whenever my soul feels weary and empty. Someone once told me that, what do I have to trust in the people in that virtual world, they don’t really live for me. I have often told myself that there might not be sincerity there.
Because it is virtual, each person, to some extent, wears a facade to hide their true self. But it is the care, love, and sharing from the friends I consider to truly understand and connect with me in that virtual world, which is sincere enough to not allow me to doubt those friendships anymore. That games are virtual, but love and sharing are real.
In there, someone sees me staying up late to play games and scolds me, along with worries they can’t hide. There are experienced people who share many strange things about life with me. There are those who meticulously send me little funny stories every day, hoping each day I face is a joyful and lucky day. Some friends come out from the game to chat over coffee and laugh heartily… If they didn’t sincerely care for me, they probably wouldn’t go to such trouble and enthusiasm for me. And I am also trying to be there for someone, even if it’s just to play a few games with them when they are sad, trying to find a song they need to hear, or sometimes just a gentle word of comfort at the right moment. Perhaps, for those who bond through games, nothing needs to be too grand; just that is enough, as long as it is sincere.
Nguyen Truong Huy, January 4, 2020
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