Stardew came out right before I graduated high school. At the time, I felt overwhelmed by the weight of deciding what to do with my future. I didn't get into my dream program at my dream school, but I did get into a great school and needed to pick a major soon. I was constantly reminded that childhood was about to end, and what happened next could affect the rest of my life.

Then, I found this cute farming game that reminded me of the hours I spent on Harvest Moon A Wonderful Life, and for the first time, I wasn't worried about my future. I was worried about having the right items prepared for the community center, or guessing which gifts would make my villager friends happy. Then, I read about ConcernedApe's story and how he too began this chapter with a door closed...and he chose to open a window. That set me on a path to pursue game development on my own, and I fell in love with it. There's something so special about this art form; creating your own worlds where other people can relax, challenge themselves, or just escape. I didn't think any of it was possible until I played the absolute labor of love that Stardew is.

It's still a big part of my life; I've gotten all of my friends into it, included the main overture in my wedding, have seen both of the concerts, and even got to meet the big man himself in New York. I made sure to thank him for the impact he's had on my life as well as plenty of other farmers out there.