Ten years ago if you spoke of learning online, people would look at you with a crossed eyebrow. That's not so much the case today, although in some cultures (which I won't speak about directly), people still tend to be a bit on the fence about it. But how untrue is it that one could simply just brush away everything they've experienced online? I fail to see how because something is in a different medium, that it means nothing. Of course, physical needs do apply, but are we not engaging this world anyway?

Our minds have the ability to choose how we feel. Who's to say nothing can come about from something?

Even if one says that this means nothing, that person is still here - still engaged.
Better that person never connected to this medium at all.

Life is all about learning. Even if we think we're stuck in a ditch, or a sense of aimlessness seems to creep about, regardless of whatever situation we're in: We're still growing. It's interesting to see that experience from multiple vantage points. Here in the online world, some of us tend to think that we can jump into escapism. Maybe that's the case for a few, and it seemingly works well, but at the end of the day, we all walk away learning something new. Whether it's about something, someone or ourselves.

A year ago when I started Watchmen, there was no set goal for it other than being a hardcore PvP guild. Like trees, growing and blooming in their different seasons, that goal also changed. I didn't enforce a dictatorship upon the guild because the stronger part of me had no desire to do so. For me, I wanted to see what would become of it if I had the voice to lead, but the respect to see others blossom. It's like watching a seed turn into a beautiful flower. Now of course that can come with its thorns. There have been cases where if things were more orderly, then perhaps certain feats could be accomplished. However, I find that logic to be beaten into the ground. I didn't want robots to go out and do my will. I wanted people to freely choose what they do.

To say I have not learned anything here in this gaming world would be a blatant lie. I'm not just talking about ranked strategies or becoming the best at some class. This goes deeper than that. I have watched people from the balcony, saw what they were and see what they've become. Today, I still watch that beauty unfolding with people I always knew would come around. In many ways, the online world has bolstered my experience in dealing with the physical world. I try my best to treat people the way I'd treat them outside these games, unless they give me reason not to. I don't hide myself. I'm me.

Losses, wins, laughter, sadness, anger, aggression, joy - all these qualities I've shared in the physical world, I've shared in the virtual world. So to why do some classify this as nothing? This is true beauty at its finest. We're engaged with each other here. We share our emotions. So why hide it? It can affect us. Although I am of the opinion that every experience is a net positive despite how hard some of them may seem, some tend to think of them negatively.

Understandably so. Some situations here may be absolutely horrendous, but at the end of the day, we could either take these experiences to bolster and strengthen us, or we can walk away sobbing with our heads down in defeat. So what will you? For me, I'll take this beautiful time I've spent (and still spending) with the people I love as something precious. Something unforgettable. A true testament that growth can be established with people in the farthest reaching corners.

I appreciate everyone here at Watchmen. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Macewinwar in particular for inspiring me to write this article. In many ways, he has been like an older brother I never had.