2319: By-Design

Hey Friends,

Some memories fade. Others are locked in place forever—triggered by a sound, a smell, or a song.

For me, hearing certain tracks can bring back moments so vividly it feels like I’m there again. One of those songs is “Color” by Grant Juneau. It’s a techno/funk dubstep track—not everyone’s taste—but for me, it’s forever tied to my favorite game: Rocket League. Along with the album Where U Are by Throttle, it transports me straight back to Fall 2020 through Fall 2021.

What a time, what a time.

The fall of 2020, my sophomore year of college, didn’t start the way I imagined. I had a persistent pain in my left leg that wouldn’t go away. Eventually, I got it checked out—and heard words I never expected at 19 years old: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). At first, I had no reaction. I thought, This must be a mistake. But when I stood up and the pain shot through my leg again, I knew it wasn’t.

I didn’t fully understand what a blood clot was beyond “blood not reaching one area.” I went through treatment, and thankfully, the clot resolved quickly. Physically, I was restored—but spiritually, something still felt off. The semester had just begun, and I had to keep moving. My professors extended grace, giving me time to catch up on assignments, which I remain deeply grateful for.

Even so, I couldn’t fully process what had happened. What kept me going that semester was gaming. Ironically, sitting for long hours may have contributed to the DVT, but gaming itself gave me life. It kept me connected—to my friends, my family, my classmates—when I needed it most.

This was during the height of COVID, when our interactions—personal and professional—changed overnight. Many of us became familiar with apps like Discord, Zoom, Google Meet, and WebEx. These digital spaces, already on the rise, became the default way we connected.

I remember late nights playing Among Us with classmates, family, and friends. There were moments I wished the game would never end—the laughter, the banter, the sense of connection in a world where physical connection was limited. Fall 2020 began rough for me, but over time, I regained my footing, and it became one of the best semesters of my life.

I bring this up because this week, I revisited those Rocket League songs on my Spotify playlist. Listening to them brought everything rushing back—both the lows and the highs. It reminded me how important it is to reflect on the things that lift you when you’re down. Sometimes it’s something small—something you’ve always done, like gaming with friends—that becomes a lifeline.

And even as we’ve moved beyond the COVID era, some of its changes remain. Job interviews, team meetings, and networking often happen virtually now. I once thought that level of digital connection would fade when the pandemic ended, but it has transcended that moment in history and shaped the way we connect today.

Maybe that’s the lesson here: the things that carry us through hard seasons can leave a permanent imprint—not just on how we live, but on how we connect.

Peace,

Zechariah Davis

🎵 Song of the Week

"Gas Station Sushi" - Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist

🗣 Quote of the Week

"In the end, we’ll remember not the days, but the moments." — Cesare Pavese

📖 Scripture of the Week

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