Life is like a song. ..or a video game.

So for the past few days, I’ve been on a little mini-vacation, and no vacation would be entirely complete without a little bit of Nintendo. ;)

I’ve loved video games for almost my whole life. I love the classic games, and finding new ones. I was recently introduced to what is instantly one of my new favorite games, and it’s kind of a mix of old and new! “Bit.Trip Runner” is a game on the Wii that takes old-school graphics and sounds from original 8-bit Nintendo games, and turns them into something totally cool and new! You control the Runner, and he basically just constantly runs through different worlds while you use different buttons to clear him from obstacles that come up in the way- either jumping or sliding or blocking or whatever. And every time you do so, each action makes a music note that goes with the beat in the background. It’s pretty much kind of amazing..

Leave it to me, while playing this game today, to start thinking about how it relates to my life. I usually always do compare things to life, and I have been pondering my own steps through time lately, so I guess it makes enough sense..

I sometimes feel like life is constantly moving by me, so fast that it’s hard to make the right moves at just the right times- whether it’s knowing what to do, or just being able to do it. Like in the video game, the Runner can seem to go so fast.. and if your timing pushing the button isn’t EXACTLY on, you have to restart the level. It can be extremely frustrating! My life is very much in the fast lane these days, and sometimes there are so many obstacles, they can be hard to dodge. I’ve been able to clear a bunch of levels, and feel pretty good about it, but sometimes I keep hitting things that send me back to start, and I never seem to be getting anywhere.

But it just takes time, and practice, and the sharpening of thought and reflexes in order to beat the game. On each new level, it’s hard to be ready for things you couldn’t see coming, you sometimes have to make a mistake. Even though you have to start that level over, you’ll be prepared for next time and make a much smoother run. As my life flies by me, I’m trying to take my time and figure things out. But control can get away from me every now and then, so I can just do my best to take life as it comes and learn from my mistakes- and I’ll get to cross another finish line.

There’s another part of Bit.Trip Runner that’s like life that I like as well. Of course- the music. Every move you make in the game goes along with the song that’s constantly playing, and I think that kind of association is a really fun part of playing this game. I’ve thought before about how my life is like a song. I think it’s a common analogy. I imagine all the people and events in my life are making notes and melodies, and when my life is over, I’ll get to look back on things and listen to the song that I’ve created, and I hope it will be the most beautiful thing I could ever hear. So I try to surround myself with the kinds of ‘melodies’ that will make my song worthwhile.

Well, I’m going to get back to playing this game for a little while longer, and then back to playing my game of real life for hopefully many levels to come.. with hopefully more bonus-level vacations in there as well. ;)

I just hope there isn’t a BOSS level coming up in my life anytime soon. Yikes.

Just another 8 bits of wisdom,
~Em.Jae Runner