Life changes

[EricNoah]

The hardest part of this was bailing out on an active campaign. The guys put in almost two years on this AU campaign and we really were fairly close to a good stopping point, but even though I had the material for the end of the current adventure done and ready to go, I just couldn't find the strength of will to see it through. And actually the last game I DM'd I just kind of stopped cold about 2 hours early and made some excuse about ending early (it was a good excuse -- we unexpectedly had two guys missing and I like to have all players there). That's not the way I like to go out -- I like to go out on top. Kinda felt defeated...

 

[jgbrowning]

There's a time for everything, but not everything at all times. Enjoy different parts of life and maybe you'll have an interest to come back or maybe you won't, but on the scale of things, gaming or not gaming isn't that important either way.

joe b.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

The hardest part of this was bailing out on an active campaign.
(snip)
That's not the way I like to go out -- I like to go out on top. Kinda felt defeated...

Remember, D&D isn't about winning and losing...oh, sorry, that's not what you meant

Seriously though, it happens.

A pro athelete who thinks he still can play and later discovers that he really cannot do it anymore is often better off calling it quits than pushing himself and injuring himself permanently. You did the same thing. If gaming has become a chore and you have to force yourself to play, you need to stop. Yes, it is a shame that your players didn't get to stop at a nice clean story point, but it is only a game.

 

[Klaus]

Hi, Eric!

Here's a funny thing: when I heard about the Afternoon Adventures program from WotC (librarians can apply and get some free goodies to organize playing groups in libraries) I immediately thought of you (and Buttercup and the rest of the ENWorld Librarian League).

Don't feel bad about bailing out when you needed. If you needed it, then it was the right way to go.

If you don't feel like losing all contact with fantasy, try some D&D Minis games (look at it like a chess of sorts), maybe play if the opportunity presents itself.

Taoism teaches that it is better to conserve your energy and go with the flow, so when the perfect opportunity presents itself, you'll have all of your energy to invest into that opportunity. It's like you're in a river. If you keep flailing about, you'll be too tired to reach that perfect tree branch that will let you pull yourself out.

Not that I'm a Taoist. I just played one...

So go with the flow. If that takes you further away from RPGs, go on and enjoy everything else. If the flow someday brings you back to the hobby, it will welcome you with arms wide open, as befits the Legendary Loremaster.

Who knows? One day, if you have a kid, you might get the itchy yearning of introducing him to this crazy game, so you'll blow the dust away from those old, yellowed tomes, shoo away the spiders and start the tale of the lil' d20 that could...