What tough times in your life has Animal Crossing helped you through?

[Aronthaer]

Animal Crossing has always been a stress-free, laid-back game. But I've often found that not only is it not stressful, it often helps me unwind after a long and painful day. I'd like to hear your stories on some difficult times Animal Crossing has been there to help. I'm having trouble picking just one, but I'll start.

A while back (quite a few years ago), I had a very close friend named (For the sake of her privacy, I'll call her Samantha.) We were pretty close friends, but I had had the biggest crush on her for years and it was starting to drive a bit of a wedge in our relationship. Everyone knew I had this massive crush on her, of course. It was entirely obvious. But for some reason I held on to a shred of hope that somehow, I was able to hide it from her.

anyways, we went on like this for a long time, up until last year. That's when I decided to make my move. I started complimenting her, mildly flirting, nothing major. We chatted a lot, and I kept telling her how much she meant to me, and that I couldn't imagine life without her there to cheer me up (I had and still have quite a bit of depression going on, and she was always such a ray of sunshine, trying to cheer me up). However, every time, I withheld on telling her that I was interested in her romantically, and always her reply was similar: Something along the lines of "Aww, that's so sweet" or "Thank you so much, you're a great friend too." And I know I should have taken those hints and stopped there, but I didn't. I continued on with this craziness regardless.

One day, I was eating dinner with my family when one of my parents remarked, "Hey, did you know that (Samantha's family) is moving away?" The food turned to ash in my mouth. I finished the rest of the meal in silence, got up from the table and just lay in my bed, thinking. Over five years I had been crushing on her, and it all lead to this. in a few months, she would be gone.

I started panicking. I got awkward and nervous every time I saw her, and I soon found that I couldn't even enjoy my last few months with her. I was so nervous around her, I didn't know what to do.

I meant to tell her how I felt before she left, but I didn't even get a chance to say good-bye. she didn't show up to any of the social gatherings we went to together for three weeks up until her move.

However, that summer, as I went to my church camp, I was shocked and overjoyed to see that she had been able to make it down for the weekend. I tried to spend as much time with her as possible during that period, and I must say those were some of the most enjoyable moments of my life. She agreed to stand and sing with me during the worship services, and (those of you who go to church may have already experienced this) there's this closeness you develop from doing this sort of thing together.

However, once again I missed my opportunity. She left before I could say anything, and I started to wonder if there's a reason my plans were being thwarted. In desperation, I turned to the only source I had left: E-mail. Now, this is a TERRIBLE idea, but I did it regardless. I e-mailed her about how I felt towards her, explained why I never talked to her about it in person, and told her how much she meant to me.

Now, I'm not going to copy down her whole reply (it was very long and personal) but here's some of it:

Hi Zach. Please know that anything I write from here forward is meant to help you, not harm you. Any implications or criticisms are meant kindly, and for your good.

I’m beginning to think that I have a harsh outlook on life, which, honestly, I’m grateful for. I love my Jane Austen books; I love my novels. But when things don’t go the way they’re supposed to, and people in my books freak out, I usually say, rather harshly:

1. Things aren’t so dramatic as you make them, or;

2. I get it. I get the pain, and the struggle. But whatever hardship you’re facing: it’s transient. It’s not going to last, and there are going to be so many moments of happiness and virtue ahead. To spend so much time and energy and thoughts on one situation is a waste of who you are as a person, and who you could be.

So many people mess up their lives. And I don’t mean to be harsh but, our mistakes aren’t special, and neither are we. People have gone through the same thing you’re going through millions of times. And those same people realize that the world is so full of people other than themselves. They realize that there is goodness, and joy, and peace in others. They also realize that there is brokenness, and darkness, and general crap in others. When these people come to the end of their lives, they say, “It’s all good.” Our mistakes don’t define us.

To be honest, your “mistake” of a crush is not a mistake. People love, people hate, and there’s nothing at all odd about that. Perhaps it’s just how I think, but this loving and liking thing doesn’t bother me, in itself. Honestly, and I don’t intend to be mean here, it’s worth little compared to God, or the goodness of people. When I see the whole scope of humanity, and when I study history, I think, “Wow. What are we spending our lives doing? Who are we, in comparison to God, who created this world? There is nothing in us, nothing in our lives, that even measures up to God, or even to all of history.” Isaiah 40:15 says, “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.”
Don’t be sorry. And if you think you should be, then know I forgive you. There is forgiveness for everything, if only you ask and mean it.

...

But that doesn’t necessarily means you have to be friends with me, just be friends with someone. To return again to my novels (I’m really sorry, they just seem to follow me around): guys have said this before to the person they like. So I know there’s probably nothing I can say that can change your mind about ‘just friends.’ I know this is going to hurt, but I don’t like you in that way, and I don’t think I ever will. I see you as a brother, and as a friend. I’m not sorry, and I hope you understand. After you read this last paragraph, please go back and read point 2 and the paragraph following it.

When I read that message, my soul was crushed. I lay in bed, too shocked even for tears. Her words went whirling through my head, and I found myself reading and rereading the note countless times. I was supposed to be in bed, but I couldn't sleep. So I reached for my comfort blanket (or in this case, a blue 3DS XL) and snapped it on.

I flipped through my game library, and found there wasn't really anything I could play that would help me sleep. Fire Emblem: Awakening was bound to upset me even more over some plot twist or character death, and I didn't feel like Pokemon or Zelda. And then, I saw New Leaf. Ah, perfect. I turned it on, booted it up, and started playing.

it was 11:00 in the game, and many of you know that one of the most beautiful songs that plays in the game plays between 11 and 12. As I started playing, I saw all of these little villagers who were genuinely concerned when I stopped playing for a few weeks, and somehow, even though it's just an AI, their never-ending cheeriness considerably brightened my day, and I went to sleep happy that night.

This is why I love Animal Crossing: It helps me get through things I couldn't on my own. and I'm so grateful for both the game series and the TBT forums, who make this game so much more enjoyable every time I put it in. thank you~

P.S. I really want to talk to Samantha again though. I haven't really talked to her since this issue and I feel kind of robbed of a friendship. I'm good friends with her sister now though, which is funny because she always hated me for liking her sister. Oh well, live and learn, I guess. I have a message to send to a certain someone. I should probably apologize for not talking to her for so long.

P.P.S. You couldn't have possibly read that entire text wall. if so, I'm extremely flattered. thank you so much for listening to a terrible story of my terrible life

P.P.P.S. Samantha probably doesn't approve of me putting her letter up in public like this, but oh well. She'll never find me hehehe

P.P.P.P.S. By the way, this is still a discussion thread, I just kinda overshadowed it with my own pitiful story. I'd love to hear how Animal Crossing has helped you through tough times before

 

[ams]

I had to take a year off school for mental health problems last year and I bought ACNL during that time. It was definitely a happy distraction!

 

[Brooke_the_Phoenix]

I'm in my final year of high school now, and I've been stressing over assignments a lot. I've even burst into tears twice over school. But the fact that I can go home and play New Leaf has been making this year a bit more bearable. Also, I think I might understand a little how you felt about "Samantha". There was this guy I liked for years in primary school, then I moved to a different school in my final two years of primary school. We then ended up in the same high school and I eventually developed feelings for him again nearly halfway through last year, feelings I still have. Then, not only did he move to a new school at the beginning of this year (and I didn't know about it until the first day back at school, when he was already gone), I also found out that he's gay, meaning he'll never be interested in me. I don't think I turned to New Leaf the night I found out, I just texted a friend and cried, but New Leaf does help take my mind off him.

 

[Pietro:)100]

Your story was really interesting! It's lovely to see how animal crossing has helped you feel better about this event that 'crushed your soul' (using your own words). Animal Crossing really does have that calming effect, whether it's the music or the characters or the general pastel-ly cuteness! I've never had such a bad experience as that, but when I'm just feeling a bit upset it usually does help. ^_^

 

[treetops]

ACNL has helped me through with two things that I have struggled with for a long time, and that is I haven't made many friends and I failed high school. It didn't help that I was really depressed around the time I failed high school. Thanks to this game though, I now feel more encouraged to try harder with making friends and try out different alternatives to education.

It makes me smile whenever I see other people talk about how ACNL has helped them through their struggles. c:

 

[Cosmic Gerbil]

I read this thread and I felt a heavy lead weight in my throat and chest. I have empathy for everybody here who is suffering.

I have had a kidney stone and I have unrequited love.

After a call out for an ambulance and a dose of morphine, the pain from the kidney stone went away. I am glad I had it though, because it was the wake up call I needed to cut back on my drinking.

I have unrequited love. I am glad I have it though because I have Aspergers and I thought I couldn't feel romantic love for anybody. At least now I know I can. Unlike the kidney stone, the pain hasn't gone away.

Animal Crossing is a wonderful game; it's an escape into my own perfect world.

 

[MayorJudyOfZootopia]

ACNL helped me through a ton of stuff :3

 

[HopeForHyrule]

While not in the same vein as your tale, ACNL has helped me tremendously through various issues. I suffer from varying degrees of depression and anxiety and have for most of my life. This game really helps me to "let go", so to speak and alleviates those problems for a time. I've never allowed myself to be medicated in any way and while this is an escapist approach, it works for me and that's all that matters.

The worst of all was when in November of 2014, my pet rabbit, Bun Bun, got horribly ill and after multiple vet trips, it was decided that the best course of action would be to...have her euthanized. She was my soulbun and I had to make that choice because I knew I couldn't leave her to suffer. It was a decision my husband and I made shortly after bringing home; I just never expected it would actually have to happen...

And it was shortly afterward that I bought a second copy and made it in memory of her. All bunny villagers, rows of roses in a "rainbow bridge" set up and her virtual grave in the town center. I'm sure most would see this as morbid, but I find it quite beautiful.

 

[HopeForHyrule]

Double posted; sorry!

 

[Cheburashka]

I find it a little hard to "talk" about personal issues in online forums but what I can say is that I am also suffering from varying degrees of depression and there were times when Animal Crossing was really the only thing I could focus on and that even occasionally made me a little happy. I am glad, the game helped all of you, too.

 

[Miii]

I actually read the whole thing, and that sucks, but I do agree with her that things like that don't matter, and shouldn't take a huge toll on your life. You can always put the energy you put into caring for her towards another person, or animals, or whatever makes you happy

And I guess I played a lot of ACNL when my older brother passed away a few years ago, but I didn't use it as a tool to cope; it was more of a distraction, something that made me quit thinking about being sad or things I could have done differently, but it worked.

I do tend to play it a lot now when I'm in a bad mood, or when I get caught up in past issues (I hate that part of my brain, ugh xD), but more than anything, I just play it because it's pleasant and full of cuteness :3 And a lot of the people that play it (even randoms on the international island) are really nice, and fun to talk to, even when there's a language barrier.

 

[Rabirin]

I don't really want to share at what point animal crossing has helped me through as people might find it to be a little sad and pathetic, but let's just say animal crossing really cheered me up when I was down and it made me feel like I have somewhere where I belong and can go to whenever need be.

 

[Belle of Pripyat]

Animal Crossing hasn't helped me through anything. I just enjoy playing the game.

 

[Candyapple]

I don't really want to share at what point animal crossing has helped me through as people might find it to be a little sad and pathetic, but let's just say animal crossing really cheered me up when I was down and it made me feel like I have somewhere where I belong and can go to whenever need be.

Feel free to share your story, no one would think it's sad or pathetic

About mine... About a month ago, my uncle got in a coma caused by an aneurism. I was really sad because everything happened all of a sudden. He was healthy, or so it seemed... Until the day he started feeling bad, went to ER and after a few hours he was in a coma. They did surgery on him twice.. I used to light candles and pray that he would make it, that he would survive. It was winter, and in my AC town I built the snowman with mustaches, I don't know the name in English because I play my game in Italian. In Italian his name is Polario. For some reason, he reminded me of my uncle.. Maybe it was the mustaches , I don't know... One night, Polario was almost completely melted. I talked to him and he said: this is not a goodbye! I will be back next winter!" ... I don't know why, but in that moment I felt my uncle was dying. The morning after, my uncle died. And Polario was gone from my village too. But seeing he said "this is not a goodbye"... I took it like a message from my uncle. I wanted to believe that... So I went to my uncle funeral , a few days later. And I was thinking "thank you for giving me a sign, even just a small one, that death is not s goodbye... People we loved will always live in our hearts forever. And one day, maybe, we will meet them again. I thanked my uncle mentally. I also asked him one more little small sign.... And seeing I play ac a lot , everyday ... And the only tree I was missing at that time was pear tree... I asked him a little sign.., well , one week later, a couple pear trees appeared in my town. I was so happy. You can think whatever you like, maybe I planted pear trees and forgot about them.., or maybe a villager planted them, who knows... But I always have that sentence in my head " I will melt soon, but this is not a goodbye!"

 

[Rabirin]

Feel free to share your story, no one would think it's sad or pathetic

About mine... About a month ago, my uncle got in a coma caused by an aneurism. I was really sad because everything happened all of a sudden. He was healthy, or so it seemed... Until the day he started feeling bad, went to ER and after a few hours he was in a coma. They did surgery on him twice.. I used to light candles and pray that he would make it, that he would survive. It was winter, and in my AC town I built the snowman with mustaches, I don't know the name in English because I play my game in Italian. In Italian his name is Polario. For some reason, he reminded me of my uncle.. Maybe it was the mustaches , I don't know... One night, Polario was almost completely melted. I talked to him and he said: this is not a goodbye! I will be back next winter!" ... I don't know why, but in that moment I felt my uncle was dying. The morning after, my uncle died. And Polario was gone from my village too. But seeing he said "this is not a goodbye"... I took it like a message from my uncle. I wanted to believe that... So I went to my uncle funeral , a few days later. And I was thinking "thank you for giving me a sign, even just a small one, that death is not s goodbye... People we loved will always live in our hearts forever. And one day, maybe, we will meet them again. I thanked my uncle mentally. I also asked him one more little small sign.... And seeing I play ac a lot , everyday ... And the only tree I was missing at that time was pear tree... I asked him a little sign.., well , one week later, a couple pear trees appeared in my town. I was so happy. You can think whatever you like, maybe I planted pear trees and forgot about them.., or maybe a villager planted them, who knows... But I always have that sentence in my head " I will melt soon, but this is not a goodbye!"

That's such a cute story. Thank you for sharing, honestly. I'm glad you took something from this game, even if it was just a little saying and it managed to keep you going. I'm sure your uncle will always be with you in spirit and within Polario. Also thank you, but i'd rather not share it at this moment in time.

 

[Romaki]

When I go through tough times I can't pick up a game, and to be quite honest games only ever cured my boredom.

I think I got better through forums like this one, so this one here in particular got me very down several times.

 

[Sdj4148]

My dad was in the hospital a few times and this game helped me through those times. Anytime I was at home worrying about my dad or by his bedside, I played this game and it made me feel calmer.

 

[Bubblebeam]

I don't really want to share at what point animal crossing has helped me through as people might find it to be a little sad and pathetic, but let's just say animal crossing really cheered me up when I was down and it made me feel like I have somewhere where I belong and can go to whenever need be.

I agree with Candyapple, don't think anything of it. I actually sent the OP a long sob story of my own privately believing no one else would understand (actually I still think that lol) but for the most part people on this forum seem very sweet. There must be some kind of niceness that AC induces on people.

Pain is certainly not uncommon, that's the main thing. I'm really glad I'm not the only one cheered up so much by this little game.

 

[radioloves]

I don't know why but when ever I'm stressed or upset about something, lol animal crossing is the last thing on my mind xD I like the game a lot and I like to play it when I'm feeling alright so I can enjoy the game a bit more every time cx

 

[spunkystella]

It helped me through suicide attempts, and current extreme bullying at school. I picked up ACNL again a couple weeks ago and it really helps my home life.