Navigating Grief: Video Games, Books, and Healing through Art

 It's been less than a month since the world lost our Watcher, Anthony Stewart Head. 

A moment of silence is required.

At the same time, I was dealing with the potential loss of one of my parents. I'm not entirely sure why, but I decided to pick up Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition, mostly as a way to take a break from Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

If you aren't familiar with Spiritfarer, you play as Stella, who has been tasked by Charon with helping souls pass through the Everdoor with the aid of the Everlight—and your cat, Daffodil. Each spirit represents someone Stella knew: a friend, a family member, or someone whose death left a lasting mark on her. Not all of them are good people; some are bullies or cheats. Others, however, are heartbreakingly tragic (Stanley and Alice—if you know, you know). Despite their fantastical appearances, every spirit feels deeply human. There isn't a dry eye by the time you take them to the Everdoor after helping them find peace. That final hug becomes a comfort for the player just as much as it does for the spirit.

Ever since we began telling stories, we have used them to make sense of the world around us. Grief is simply a natural part of life, and art gives us a way to understand it. Whether through novels, paintings, films, music, or video games, we seek stories that help us process emotions that are often difficult to put into words. They remind us that we are not alone. They help us find a sense of connection with others who have also lost - or are in the process of losing - a loved one.

Like Spiritfarer, Ori and the Will of the Wisps explores grief through fantasy, but it does so from a different perspective. At its heart, it is about the cycle of life: how that cycle can be interrupted, and how those interruptions ripple through everything around them. It's about growing older and learning that we all have value, that we all have a purpose, even if it isn't always as clear as we'd like, and even if the road to discovering it is long and difficult.

I know I've focused on video games here, but I'd also like to mention a book that explores many of these same themes with a lighter touch. Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune examines regret, death, and the fear of moving on. It portrays both the devastation of loss and the slow, uneven process of healing. Healing doesn't happen at a steady pace. It isn't always gentle, graceful, or dignified. Sometimes it's awkward. Sometimes it's messy. Sometimes it's funny in ways you don't expect.

Healing does not have to be a delicate experience.

I don't have a clever ending for this - but if you ever need an ear to bend or a shoulder or lap to cry on, I shall be here.