Life’s a Game- And it’s totally Mario!
Ever feel like life's a game? Well, I've had a revelation: it's Super Mario Bros.! I can’t believe I missed this for so long! Seriously. Bear with me.
Lately, life's been testing my "walk the walk" talk. A couple of sucker punches landed, leaving me reeling. Tears, confusion, the whole nine yards. That inner victim voice cranked up the volume. I knew I needed to find my way back to grace, but the hurt and perceived betrayal clouded my vision.
I took some time to lick my wounds, to understand the pain. I realized the hurt resided within me, not caused by anyone else. The blow was in the past; any lingering pain was me dragging it into the present. I had to feel the hurt to heal and goodness, this one hurt.
Initially, I thought of life as dodgeball – a game of avoiding pain. But that felt off. Dodgeball is about getting "out," a dark, smelly gym scenario. Life is so much bigger than that.
Then, bam! Mario. Turtles throwing hammers, cannons firing. The goal wasn't to catch those things, but to move past them. Get hit? You lose a little health, maybe shrink a bit, or even start over. But you choose what to do next. Do you obsess over the source of the blow, or do you level up and learn to navigate the obstacles?
That's the key. Life isn't about fighting the "bad guys" endlessly. It's about developing the skills to leap over the Goombas, duck under the Koopa Troopas, and conquer the Piranha Plants. It's about finding those hidden mushrooms (nourishment for the soul!), grabbing the Fire Flower (purification!), taking flight with the propeller mushroom (the high road), or rocking your untouchable force with the Super Star (unleashing your inner power!). It's a magical world full of hidden treasures and opportunities for growth.
If we get stuck fighting the source of our pain, we waste precious time and miss the whole point – rescuing the princess, that highest version of ourselves. We stay small, frustrated, and angry. But when we learn to observe, adapt, and use our "superpowers," we unlock joy and excitement.
Like Mario, we choose our character (our approach to life) and can partner with others along the way. We conquer one level, and boom! We're transported to a new, even more challenging territory, deepening our skills and bringing us closer to that final castle.
But here's the kicker: the real joy isn't reaching the castle. It's playing the game. And luckily, there are always more worlds, new versions, endless possibilities. Life is a platform of magic and mystery. No two games are ever the same.
There's one crucial difference between life and Mario: Game Over is permanent. We don't know how much playtime we get. So, when we realize the game is on loan, we play with intention. We laugh, connect with others, explore every nook and cranny. When we get hit, we regroup, maybe even "reset," and learn from the experience. Because without those challenges, we'd never discover our superpowers.
I woke up today with a renewed sense of curiosity and wonder, appreciating every "character" in my life and leaping through each moment with a renewed sense of calm and joy. I couldn’t have made it this far without my family and friends partnering with me to navigate the course. With this renewed perspective and clarity of vision, I'm embracing the mystery, collecting treasure, acrobatically dodging obstacles, chasing down new superpowers, creatively crushing challenges, and belly laughing with my badass crew along the way. So, grab your controller, friends! Let's have some ridiculous fun and play! It’s-a-me- Mario (er, Dani)!– Let’s-a-go! Game On!
LOVE BIG. LAUGH LOUD. HUG HARD. WRITE ON.
