A gem of time

I love it when something in life just clicks, you know? You enter it by chance and then three hours later you've entered the void, you're down the rabbit hole
And for that time you're falling, nothing else exists, you're in the nether in between real life and fiction, and it's completely magical
I'll never forget when I finished playing Phantom Hourglass. I'd been playing for hours, my eyes were tired, my arm ached, but in that moment I was Link. That final island had three temples, and I blasted through all of them- I'd come too far to die now. The Phantoms, previously terrifying, were just another obstacle; bring it on, suckers. I'm the hero of time, and I am going to beat this game. Every puzzle, every battle was savored that night.
The final boss. This was it. I was so nervous, I couldn't hold the stylus properly. It lasted a good long time, but I fought like my life was really in danger. "Get the hell away from my friend" I hissed, "and get the hell out of my land" a shocking revelation, fight on land and sea, and then: Bellum was defeated. The credits rolled.
Phantom Hourglass is by no means the best game in existence, but that time playing it was incredibly special to me. I think of that game with complete affection, even after all these years.
It's rare to find gems of time like that, that can be caught in a bubble and let you feel that high just remembering it. They pop up almost at random, and when they do, you never want them to end... every sense and emotion is heightened and you hold on so tight because you're falling and weightless and so alive

If only they didn't have to invariably happen in the early hours of the morning.