Last I played XIV was around 2015. I had to stop playing since my late Father needed medical treatment and had to prioritize looking after him. A lot of things happened in the last few years (got married, expecting our first kid, moved to our own place).
I was also preoccupied with my LEGO hobby which I took to an entirely different level by doing exhibitions around Asia, notably in Kobe, Japan for a LEGO fan event called Japan Brickfest . It was something I never thought I'd participate in regularly and attended those from 2017-2019 (only reason 2020 onwards didn't happen was due to the global pandemic).
Even if I wasn't playing anymore, I was always excited about the new patches and major expansions. There was always a slight tug of going back to play but I couldn't fully commit to it. I had friends who would talk about expansions, inviting me to return but I never felt a guaranteed return until recently.
Now I'm so lost with everything (when I stopped, Heavensward was not out yet) and just casually catching up with the main story. I just finished HW (loved it! made me teary eyed at some parts) and looking forward to finishing the other 2 expansions.
I'm very glad to be back in Eorzea.
If you read through this and want to check out my LEGO creations (mostly my original Mecha builds), you can check my website.
<3 glad to see that you returned.