The Solaire Pin

For my birthday, my brother gave me an enamel pin replica of the shield of Solaire of Astora, a character in Dark Souls who is well-known for his friendliness, his helpfulness, his fascination with the sun, and his signature gesture, which is called "Praise the Sun," all of which seem out of place in the dark and brutal world of Dark Souls. In Dark Souls, players fight through hordes of undead creatures and even tougher boss monsters who are almost invariably both deadly and disturbing. However, thanks to Solaire and some other characters, Dark Souls players don't always have to face such monsters alone. Solaire is especially helpful in joining players in "jolly co-operation" from time to time. Depending on the player's actions (or inaction), Solaire can even help the player fight the final boss of the game! Solaire is a source of light, hope, help, and friendship in an otherwise dark, depressing, and lonely world.

I plan to take a good deal of inspiration from this pin. I plan to use it as a reminder of my source of light, hope, help, and sometimes even friendship. I plan to let Solaire's signature phrase, "Praise the Sun," remind me to praise the Son of God. I plan to use Solaire as a reminder of what kind of person Jesus Christ is and what kind of person I should be. Solaire is, in my opinion, a paladin, a good person, and, according to some speculation, possibly even a son of a god, making him an excellent model for me. The pin my brother gave me is purely decorative and serves no practical purpose, but still, I expect that it will be of great use to me.