Relationships and Dungeons & Dragons using your Imagination

November 16, 2016

Relationships and Dungeons & Dragons by Samantha Jo Karr

As a child with a little brother the hours passed like minutes. Our time consisted in dreaming and escaping to other worlds of imagination and design. We would grab ideas from life or experiences and create a world of wonder and passion. I think most of us at some time or another were told to “grow up”, to “do something with our lives”. I remember this day as a day of regret and sadness, both for myself as well as my little brother and nephew. To grow up was much like Wendy leaving the nursery and never going to Neverland again for my brother and I.

Danddha (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We were always very close but things changed as society and ideals told us to believe in something that was outside of this “dream world” us children seem to understand right from the beginning.

We were told to get out there and make money or whatever else was “socially acceptable” at the time. We left this imagination land of ours to “grow up” and become something that benefited society.

I remember being 16 when I was introduced to Dungeons & Dragons and at first I was very excited to see grown adults imagining.

I was raised in a very strict religious family and even Pokémon was not allowed.

When I sat and watched the ideals and dreams come to the game with this awesome group of very authentic friends, I was astounded and even afraid. I had to question this “socially acceptable” world I was brought up in and this led me to really question everything about my social life as well as perspective on life.

I all of a sudden realized that life was much like a table top game in the sense of who we all are as individuals in unique and different situations. “What would I do if this, or that? What would “I” do? Gaming for me really began in my relationships and I found that my relationships really grew when imagination came into play.

I know it may sound silly but what is even a great sexual experience like without some imagination? Probably pretty boring and lame, just saying. But when imagination is alive everything comes to life and becomes a reality. Scientists have discovered that what we imagine in the mind is linked to how our bodies respond. Have you ever lay in bed and imagined yourself falling off of a cliff and all of a sudden your heart races and you actually feel as if you

are falling? If you haven’t I would challenge you to really give it a try and see what I mean. In my marriage I would say that the greatest spark that we have added to our home, lifestyle and atmosphere is our great and never ending imaginations!!

Everything and everyone is a character or some kind of created reality of the mind. As an example, our favorite walk to the store is named “The Elven Path” because it is beautiful and full of trees and nature.

Sometimes when I do not enjoy where I am going I create my own idea of what it may have once been like before the town built over it, or I create my own picture over it. I find happiness and comfort in my mind and imagination, and in this I can conquer my fears and anxieties. I do the same thing with people and whatever else I face in life.

In my marriage I have found that when we communicate these things and we create our own world together through one mind we really do create a world outside of the world and we cherish our lives all the more, almost like a heaven on earth mentality. One of my favorite things about Dungeons & Dragons is that it’s a world unlike any other you have ever played and no two games are the same.

It’s a world that is totally personalized! No computer animation can do that. When a group of people or even 2 people get together and create a world, there is a connection, and authenticity that nothing can replicate.

Something I love is that in order to get together and really create a game is that it brings back that very innocent part of us. We are all born with imaginations that are amazing and sometimes along the way we lose sight of that and I feel like it causes a lot of sadness in people’s worlds.

To feel like you are only being dragged along by life’s happenings is not how we were supposed to live. We have these incredible minds that lead us to do wonderful things and it all starts with our ability to be authentic, open minded and accepting of what is. Dungeons & Dragons connects people in a way of problem solving and facing dangers together! It helps you realize that you are a good team and that together everything can work out. It creates “honest interaction” unlike any other game out there!

You cannot be half in or half out, you can only be in. When you play with your partner and truly see how different situations are handled together it really does become a sort of therapy session. You give each other your time, energy, focus, eye contact, humor and most importantly your passion.

Don’t be surprised if it improves things in the bedroom or with other aspects of your lives together. Imagination IS what connects us! Imagination Is the connection to great relationships because with this amazing given tool that we all have we can make things better in our real lives and in the world, what better way is there to spend your time together?

Stay Nerdy!