when i was a child, i wanted to grow up...

So J is somewhat of a legend in our class at law school. Everyone knows who he is. Everyone laughs and says, "Oh J," whenever anyone brings him up - some are impressed, most are just bemused. They all know about his trips to Detroit and San Francisco during key periods of the semester for Yu-gi-oh tournaments. They all know that he skips class to go, that he's excellent and internet famous, that he's so good he gets paid, gets asked for his autograph, gets talked about in reverent tones - but it's all a kids' game, so it doesn't matter.

I don't understand why people laugh at J, honestly. I can see why they might not take him (or at least the game he plays) seriously, but I sincerely admire him for doing what he likes and being good at it. Truth be told, I probably envy him a little for that ability, to be brazen and carefree in the face of society's convention and the majority's judgment. (What is it? A card game or something? A kids' game, right? With pictures on the cards and magic powers and all that, they say dismissively, derisively, as if they understand, as if they don't need to.) People think they've outgrown such frivolities, such childish games.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (I Cor. 13:11)

But is it so childish to do something you like and are good at? Fine, practically speaking, it may not serve you or your future's best interests. But it's not as if there's no remuneration involved in his national tournaments - this is not some low-scale hobby that just keeps him occupied and distracted from school. And even if it were - would it be so bad to enjoy it? Would it be so wrong to not hide it away as if you were ashamed of it?

I admire J for doing what he likes, Yu-gi-oh or whatever it may be, and still being brilliant. He doesn't need to put in the same amount of work as we do for law school; he's not like us (broadly, generally us). I do think he should commit more if this is what he's going to do as a career, but whether he pursues law as a career is not a choice anyone else, much less I, can force on him. He does as he will. I admire his attitude towards life and as a person.

I don't think I could do it, for better or for worse, (sometimes to my regret), but it works well for him. I'm tired of hearing people talk about him lightly, because I like him as he is.

I like him the way he is, maybe because I feel a need to live vicariously through someone braver than me. Someone who didn't put away childish things - or maybe someone who redefined the meaning of childish things, so that not everything we enjoyed when we were younger, not everything we enjoy now that society looks upon as immature or more suitable for a different age group, is actually "childish".

And, also, I'm generally not really into people talking badly of my friends, even if they're good-natured and don't mean to insult.