I have a big test tomorrow in Humanities II, a class that challenges the way I think. Lately, we have been talking about quantum entanglement, and all things that make my head hurt. One way that I have been able to better understand some of the things we have talked about is the game (I'd rather call it a narrative, because it has really made an impact on my life) Life is Strange.
I just completed the third of five episodes, and the volume is picking up. Max, the protagonist, is now capable of altering events even deeper into the past. One of the main points of the story is that Max's friend blames the way her life turned out because of her father's death when she was just a young child. The friend is the definition of a teenage burnout; drugs, ill-fated relationships, and the occasional police run-in are the ordinary. The death altered the friend's path in life drastically, but what if it didn't happen?
The player is presented with a choice at the climax of episode three; to hide the father's keys to prevent him from driving, or let the man die in a car crash that sparked the downward spiral of her friend? After weighing the pros and lack of cons I decided to save the dad, but the repercussions of that decision couldn't have been any larger. When the payer comes back to the 'current" time, Max's friend no longer has the blue punk rock hair, tattoos, or attitude she once has; instead, she has a wheelchair and a hole in her throat.
This is where the episode ends, but why? I thought saving the father would set the friend's life on track to something more productive, no make her an quadriplegic. I haven't played beyond this point, most due to the test tomorrow, but I think I can already see the conclusion on the horizon. Everything happens for a reason, even if it is truly awful and there are no benefits at all. Sometimes, things just need to be the way they are. I can see this in my own life in two big events; a death and a sickness. One before I was on this planet, and one when I was still a young child.
My brother (whom I have written about before) passed away in 1989, which set in motion a series of events that led to a divorce, another marriage, and my birth. I have always wondered if my brother was alive today, would things have happened like they did? Is my life directly tied to the death of my brother? Its a weird notion to have, but I have talked about it with my Mother before. She gave me some insight into the issue, but she really couldn't say that things would be the same.
She did say, however, that she put her faith in God during this whole event. Regardless of what happened, my Mom's faith in God's plan for herself and her family would never have changed, and that the way her life has played out simply is. She truly is one of the strongest people I know, and has always been a role model to me. My Mother has been tested in more ways than I will ever know, but her resilience is what gives me hope and drives me to succeed in my life.
The next big experience that I will talk about was my pretty serious illness in the eight grade. Long story short, I was extremely sick and had long road to recovery, but I did it. The experience of being in an intensive care unit and getting a glimpse of what my brother went though some twenty years prior weighed on me and especially on my Mother. Oddly enough, I feel like having this shared experience is what gave me insight into who he was. I felt like I got to know him without ever hearing his voice or seeing him in person.
Now if I were to go back in time and change all of this, would my life today be anything similar to where I am currently? Honestly, I don't couldn't say one way or another, and I don't really think that is up to me to even contemplate. Things happened, and they are irreversible. My Mother has told me that life is weird, and that these things happen for reasons we may never know. It's our faith in God and the people around us that help us cope with these terrible events; with their help we can push though and do great things.
My Mom is right. I've been givne a great opportunity on this earth and it is up to me to make the most of it. It's up to me to not get caught up in the could-have-beens and memories, but to see the world for what it is worth.
Life truly is strange.
I hope at least understand some of it (and get a good enough grade on yet another test).
AF
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