Finding Stories Everywhere
Storytelling has been with us as long as people have gathered around fires, passed down memories, or dreamed about what could be. I’ve always believed that stories don’t just live in books or movies—they show up in almost every part of our lives, especially in the hobbies and passions we bring into our daily routines. For me, that connection between stories and creativity is what keeps me painting, gaming, reading, and imagining new possibilities.
In this post, I want to share a little about how storytelling weaves its way through different mediums I enjoy: manga, science fiction shows, video games, and even painting tiny figurines for tabletop games. Each one brings something unique to the table, but together, they’ve taught me that stories are more than entertainment—they’re a way of connecting to ideas, people, and even myself.
Manga: Long Journeys, Small Moments
My first real dive into serialized storytelling came through manga. Series like One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach weren’t just action-packed adventures—they were long, sprawling journeys that followed characters as they grew up, made mistakes, and faced impossible odds. What hooked me wasn’t just the battles, but the way these stories built entire worlds.
There’s something powerful about following a story for hundreds of chapters. You see characters evolve slowly, sometimes painfully, and you can’t help but feel invested. It taught me that storytelling isn’t always about the quick payoff. Sometimes it’s about patience, waiting to see how the threads come together, and learning to appreciate the quiet moments between the big battles.
That lesson sticks with me. Even when I’m painting or making something new, I try to remember that the process itself—the small strokes, the little details—are part of the bigger story.
Science Fiction Shows: Imagining Beyond Today
Around the same time, I was watching science fiction on TV. Stargate SG-1, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and later Firefly—these weren’t just shows about space battles or alien worlds. They were about people asking big questions. What does it mean to explore? How do we handle conflict with others who are different from us? Can we build a better future, or are we doomed to repeat our mistakes?
What struck me most was the balance between adventure and philosophy. One episode might be about saving a planet, but the next could dive into personal struggles, ethics, or faith. It made me realize that science fiction is less about predicting the future and more about holding up a mirror to the present.
That perspective shows up in other hobbies too. When I’m reading or painting miniatures for Warhammer 40K, I see those same questions echoing: what do we value, how do we live together, and what happens when power gets out of balance? These stories let us wrestle with tough ideas in a safe, creative space.
Video Games: Living Inside the Story
If manga taught me patience and sci-fi asked me to think big, video games taught me what it feels like to step inside a story. Games like Counter-Strike and StarCraft gave me the thrill of competition, but it was role-playing games like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Skyrim that really showed me the depth of interactive storytelling.
Walking through a virtual world, making choices, and seeing how they ripple through the game is a different kind of storytelling. It’s not just being told a story—it’s helping write it. Video games let you play out “what if” scenarios that books or shows can only hint at.
I think that’s one reason video games stick with people. They invite you to become part of the narrative. It’s your character, your decisions, your victories and mistakes. And when the story is done, you remember it as if you actually lived through it.
Painting and Creating: Telling My Own Stories
Of all the hobbies I’ve mentioned, painting and 3D printing might seem the most “quiet.” But for me, they’re a form of storytelling too. When I sit down to paint a miniature for Warhammer 40K or lay down color on watercolor paper, I’m not just creating an object. I’m bringing a little piece of a story to life.
A miniature soldier might represent a battle fought on an imagined planet. A watercolor landscape might capture a feeling or a memory. Even if no one else knows the backstory, I do—and that’s enough to make the process meaningful.
Creating art feels like participating in the same long tradition of storytelling that runs through manga, science fiction, and games. Only this time, I’m not just watching or playing. I’m the one shaping the narrative, even if it’s just for myself.
Why Stories Matter
At the end of the day, what ties all these hobbies together is the simple fact that stories matter. They matter because they remind us of who we are, who we want to be, and what we’re capable of imagining. Whether it’s a manga hero refusing to give up, a starship crew wrestling with moral choices, or a painted miniature telling the tale of a distant battle, each one adds a thread to the tapestry of my life.
Stories make us laugh, cry, question, and dream. They push us to slow down, pay attention, and connect with others who see the world in their own way. For me, they’ve been both a source of escape and a source of grounding—reminders that even in the smallest brush stroke or the longest saga, there’s always more to discover.
So when I think about storytelling across all these mediums, I don’t just see hobbies. I see a lifelong conversation between imagination and reality, one that keeps me picking up a brush, turning on a game, or flipping open the next chapter.
