Iâve been watching, as in really paying attention to and planning to see, Desert Bus for Hope since DB5.  Iâve been participating in the Craft-Along since DB6, and I have the crafterâs patches to prove it.  (I really should⌠put those on something.)  Itâs an event that I plan for and look forward to every year.  Even last year, when I had to miss most of the beginning because I was actively moving into an apartment with the worst internet Iâve encountered since dial-up.
Unfortunately thatâs the internet I had this year too, but itâs worth occasionally having to reduce the stream to the lowest visual quality just to lean way far back and keep watching.  Hey I do pixel art, I know how this works.  I had to catch up on the last 3-ish hours of the run later on, because sleep is a thing that has to happen, or so Iâm told.  The catch-up period usually gives me a chance to reflect on exactly why I look forward to this fundraiser in particular. Itâs always difficult to put the experience into words.
First is the charity itself.  Basically, Childâs Play makes people who absolutely are not okay, a little more okay.  And anyone who has ever been not okay is going to understand the value of that.  Itâs more than a provider of video games to hospitals and womenâs shelters; itâs communication devices that allow kids to talk to parents and classmates, and attempts to allow bed-ridden young folk to explore places via robots with cameras.  It may sound silly to you, but if youâre in that bed wondering what the point of living another day is?  Itâs everything.  Hearing thereâs more research going into virtual reality as a means of pain management made the rest of my year.  And we all know that sometimes life goes to crap and what we really need is to pick up that game or that book and just⌠therapeutically zone out for a few hours.  It may not âsolveâ anything, but it is absolutely essential to mental well-being.  And not just for the young people themselves, but for those older folks who care about them, their comfort and mental state.  It is specifically about the children, absolutely, but also goes well beyond them.  Itâs an actual investment in the future, in the power kindness to and from everywhere in the world, always expanding its reach.
Desert Bus for Hope, the event raising money for Childâs Play, is a little like watching that âPC nightmareâ authoritarian establishment folks keep âwarningâ everyone about: where the humor isnât mean (but does not lack teeth) nor directed toward attacking anyone, where all identities are openly accepted and everyoneâs welcoming and polite to each other, where supportive casual contact isnât met with âno homoâ, where whoever wants to paint their nails gets to paint their nails, and the style is clearly âwhatever you want to wearâ and always glorious. Â But you know what? Â It feels amazingly good to watch. Â Like how amazingly good it is to see all of the passion and love put into all of the handmade donations which get auctioned off or given away in drives; Iâm always floored by everyoneâs work that mine gets to be amongst and all of the different types of skills. Â I described the whole of Desert Bus for Hope as âaggressively positiveâ and I will continue to say as much: the fundraiser has only become increasingly positive in the wake of whatâs happening elsewhere in the world, leading a fierce example of how very powerful and important kindness and the desire to improve things for each other, and for and those who will âinherit the futureâ so to speak, can be. Â Direct open opposition and leading by example. Â Love and encouragement as defiance. Â A community that actually takes care of itself, full of vastly different types of people, joined by inherent geekery of different kinds, all coming together to raise money to help people who arenât okay, be a little more okay.
The event title is even more poignant right now, because we need that hope.  We need the demonstration, need to see the power of kindness, how strong it actually is as opposed to the people trying to tell us it doesnât matter at all.  Itâs absolute proof that we can all pitch in something to help and be inspired to keep that going, that just watching this silly fundraiser every year is enough to remind us that there is in fact hope.  So many of us are so, so tired of seeing the hateful, fearful, downright worst side of humanity seemingly getting louder, and this is one of those shining beacons of nonsensical exuberance and aggressive positivity that reminds us of how being a jerk isnât actually the default. It isnât anywhere near as powerful as⌠well, whatever Desert Bus for Hope is. Full of silly and celebration and feels and a reminder that no one is alone, and there is a community out there for them to find.  Plus, thereâs another one coming up next year.  Something to keep in mind when The Final Busdown is a celebration of singing and crashing (or towing).
The Bus Place is a good place, and I look forward to seeing it again next year. Â After everyoneâs had a chance to recover. Â In theory.
