Chapter 44- The Real War

             If anyone has fought in a war before that’s not in the gaming world, you will know how different things are from video games. People would react differently knowing that you realize the importance of life. Although I did not participate in a real war, I had a realistic environment using paintballs.

            From that experience, you have no heads up display, one life, no respawns, and an environment that changes all the time. I think the scary part is that there were professional paintballers there playing. You know you are under fire, but you can’t see where they are shooting from. Also, when you are being hunted down, your brain automatically goes to survival mode as you try to find way to protect yourself. There were times I felt my adrenaline pumping as I was going through open fields and clearing corners.

            After that paintball war experience, I never look at a video game the same way again. War is not what you see inside video games, it is much more intense with constant change in the environment. There is no predictability for what your enemies’ moves are. There is only preparedness and strategic planning to minimize the threat.

            From the people who served in the war, I now understand how hard it is. For the veterans from past wars, I give my appreciation for you fighting for us so that we would not have to fight again. Also, from this experience, I now understand that each and every part of your life is very important and that we should truly value it.