I will never be able to fight a Bob-omb in a Mario game the same way ever again. Thanks Nintendo.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is the latest game in the Paper Mario franchise. Like most people, I feel like that nothing has been released in the last few years that could meet parity with how amazing The Thousand Year Door was back on GameCube in 2004. To me, it was the quirky characters, the simple yet addicting battle system, and surprisingly deep plot that got me hooked. The Origami King gave off a similar, yet distinct vibe in its own way. You had a unique battle system that still involved jumping on or hammering enemies, an interesting, Mario-esque world with beautiful graphics, and side characters with hilarious, punny comments. This game gave you allies that were previously only ever seen as enemies, like a Bob-omb, Kamek & Bowser Jr., giving a new perspective on what they’re truly like, rather than the typical “steal-the-princess-fight-the-hero” villain role.

I didn’t even need to finish PP:TOK to feel something; it broke my heart probably 10 hours into the game. SPOILER ALERT. You meet a Bob-omb along the trip named Bobby who has supposedly lost his memory and ends up traveling with you in hopes of regaining it.

At one point, your trusty sidekick Olivia, gets stuck under a giant boulder. Bobby regains part of his memory, takes you on a detour to retrieve something he lost, and when you get back, he reveals that it is his fuse. And just like that, before you know it, he makes a short speech about wanting to make an impact and help someone in need, and essentially blows the boulder up, sacrificing himself to save Olivia.

The Life Lesson

For the longest time, I always answered the question of “what do you want most in life” in the cheesiest way possible—“happiness”. However, years back I read an article that talked about the quest for happiness and what happens once you feel that you have gained it. It talked about striving for purpose rather than happiness because during the journey for purpose, we ultimately also find happiness.

So what does purpose mean?

Purpose is such a broad term. As Bobby says, purpose can be ‘a chance to change something for the better. To make an impact’. I think that when we tend to think about making an impact, we immediately associate it with something extravagant like creating a business, saving lives, or volunteering for one’s community. But why does making an impact have to scale on a worldly level? Why can’t we strive to even help, inspire, or educate just one person? To me, that’s making an impact. For someone who deals with mental health, my idea of making an impact or leaving a legacy is being able to give my advice, lend an ear, and provide empathy to help someone else deal with something similar. I mean, it’s basically the reason I created Bedtime Bossing.

I recently went to a hair salon and got a haircut. I had lived my whole life with a bald spot on the back of my head that I’ve always felt ashamed of, partly due to mean, old, horrible bullies back when I was young. The conversation I had with my hair stylist that day instilled a new wave of confidence in me. I went in for a haircut and came out with a new perspective—no longer afraid to hide my scar. Call it a “hairapy” session. The point of my story here, is that no doctor, teacher, friend, article, video, or therapist was able to change my mindset. But unexpectedly, this one hair stylist unintentionally eliminated 26 years of shame and trauma. And to word it in the most dramatic way possible, that haircut changed my life.

So define purpose in your own terms, but don’t limit it to what society has defined it as. Stay true to yourself and do good for this world in your own way.