Maybe you’ve recently read (and if not go do so) Austin’s and Taryn’s posts about how video games or gaming related things got them through some tough times. Gears of War 3 helped Austin push through the pain of appendicitis and Podcast Beyond and the gaming community in general is helping Taryn to create a new life for herself. I’m here to add to that conversation.
To get right to it, my parents divorced when I was younger, when I was about nine years old. This new thing that was happening in my life wasn’t completely explained to me. I remember I was first asked by my dad while I was laying on the floor watching tv, “Barry, what would you think of your mother having her own place and me having my own place? Then you can visit both of us?” Or something to that effect. I don’t remember it very clearly because to myself I thought, “Two houses is cool.” I just said ok and went along with the new changes. I don’t remember it being a big deal to me. As I kid, all I knew was I still got to see both of my parents, they never fought in front of me and there were both as loving as ever.
When my mom moved out and I realized that having two places meant a different parent at both, is when I realized something was very different. But still, my parents made it very easy. I stayed with my dad during the week and my mom on weekends. And that’s the way it was all the way through high school.
As time went on and my mom moved farther and farther away from my friends I had less friends to hangout with over the weekends. Much of the time I would be at the house or apartment by myself for most of the day until my mom got home and then maybe we would go out to a movie or dinner. Don’t worry if it sounds sad, I was completely content.
