As I begin writing this I have currently defeated 800 Rolycoly in Pokemon Sword and Shield in search of a shiny variant of it. Grinding can be a meditative experience. Slowly turning off your brain while you repeat the same action over and over.
It was here that I had a cathartic experience about love, the journey, and ultimately what I want out of life. Finding a shiny Pokemon is a lot like finding the perfect love of your life.
Much like hunting a shiny Pokemon, finding love takes patience, determination, and Pokemon/friends along the way to help you out.
If you’ve ever been to a wedding I’m sure you’ve heard the very cliche bible verse Corinthians 13.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Isn’t that all we want out of life? A shiny pokemon to call our own? In Pokemon Sword & Shield there is a 1/4096 chance of finding a shiny, but in real life, there is a 1/7.6 billion chance of finding your soulmate.
Of course, just like in Pokemon there are ways to increase your odds. Constantly putting yourself out there to accepting love just like in the wild grass of Pokemon is one of those ways.
Sure, sometimes you get lucky and stumble across a shiny Pokemon without even trying, which is analogous to how some people manage to marry their high school sweethearts and you’re left wondering how they got off so easy.
But for the rest of us out here in the dating world, it’s important to remember that good things can take time and to always follow the course, even if it seems rough.
I may have not found that shiny Rolycoly or a significant other yet, but that doesn’t mean we just give up. We push forward and continue the hunt because sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.
However, most importantly, the Switch is a hybrid console that can be taken on the go. So technically you could look for shiny Pokemon and a significant other at the same time.
Even if I never find that Rolycoly, I’ll be thankful for the lessons hunting it taught me. If we are to take anything away from Shiny Pokemon, it’s that few things come easy, but things that take time are worth it.
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