My Uncle: Peter La Grue
I have a semi famous uncle. His name is James "Chip" Harrison Haren the 3rd. Or was it the 2nd? Anyway, he created a game called Amtgard and went by the name Peter La Grue. You can wiki it. I'm reflecting on it now because I'm at a crossroad. Should I say what I think? Should I risk being called a lunatic because of my thoughts and beliefs?
My mother, Susan Haren, and my other uncles, made fun of him and called him crazy, shunned him into obscurity. And this is what I was led to believe all of my life. I remember meeting him only once, and, although he seemed a little strange to me, he was nothing to be feared.
He created Amtgard. A Dungeons and Dragons meets Renaissance Fair game, generously ripped off from previous games, but with his own twist to it, which now has countless followers worldwide. I don't know if a crazy person could do this; it's possible, I suppose. But who is crazier, the one who made it or the people who follow it?
I think of him now, because I see myself following his path. I see that he could have been great, but possibly because he had no family support, that they thought it was just games and childish, weird, stupid behavior, that he went into obscurity. What separates a genius from a crazy man? Rumors? Shitty friends and family? If nobody knew anything else about him but what he told them, would he have been a millionaire now, capitalizing off of his creation from the 70's and 80's? Look at all the ridiculous people out there now, doing whatever, saying whatever; creating followers out of non-thinkers. The blind leading the blind. Should I say the things I think, and risk being called a lunatic? A heretic? Pessimist, atheist, realist, scientist, and any other -ists?
I guess this is where I put it on the line. I can't let those few small minded people get to me like they did to my Uncle "Chip", aka Peter La Grue, Creator of Amtgard. I'm telling you as much as I'm telling myself to put it out there, no matter what you think, even if it might be dumb as hell. Someone will listen. And someone will understand EXACTLY what you're saying. And if anything, if all you do, it only reaches that one person and makes an impact in their life, then it's worth it. So to my readers, my friends, all I'm saying is...Never stop. Whenever you're unsure, you have to take that leap. Keep going no matter what, and don't worry if people might end up hating you. Someone out there will love you equally for all the hate you receive. For every action there is an equal yada yada... you get the idea.
Peace out for now, homies.
My mother, Susan Haren, and my other uncles, made fun of him and called him crazy, shunned him into obscurity. And this is what I was led to believe all of my life. I remember meeting him only once, and, although he seemed a little strange to me, he was nothing to be feared.
He created Amtgard. A Dungeons and Dragons meets Renaissance Fair game, generously ripped off from previous games, but with his own twist to it, which now has countless followers worldwide. I don't know if a crazy person could do this; it's possible, I suppose. But who is crazier, the one who made it or the people who follow it?
I think of him now, because I see myself following his path. I see that he could have been great, but possibly because he had no family support, that they thought it was just games and childish, weird, stupid behavior, that he went into obscurity. What separates a genius from a crazy man? Rumors? Shitty friends and family? If nobody knew anything else about him but what he told them, would he have been a millionaire now, capitalizing off of his creation from the 70's and 80's? Look at all the ridiculous people out there now, doing whatever, saying whatever; creating followers out of non-thinkers. The blind leading the blind. Should I say the things I think, and risk being called a lunatic? A heretic? Pessimist, atheist, realist, scientist, and any other -ists?
I guess this is where I put it on the line. I can't let those few small minded people get to me like they did to my Uncle "Chip", aka Peter La Grue, Creator of Amtgard. I'm telling you as much as I'm telling myself to put it out there, no matter what you think, even if it might be dumb as hell. Someone will listen. And someone will understand EXACTLY what you're saying. And if anything, if all you do, it only reaches that one person and makes an impact in their life, then it's worth it. So to my readers, my friends, all I'm saying is...Never stop. Whenever you're unsure, you have to take that leap. Keep going no matter what, and don't worry if people might end up hating you. Someone out there will love you equally for all the hate you receive. For every action there is an equal yada yada... you get the idea.
Peace out for now, homies.
Comments
Post a Comment