Minecraft is a game I have played ever since I learned how to use a computer. I distinctly remember the first time loading into a new world, and promptly digging a hole in a beach to hide from the hostile mobs. At the time, I had only experienced Minecraft through YouTube videos. Being the player felt like magic. I still play it today as an adult, not for the single player experience, but for the modded multiplayer one.
Since I built a new computer, I had to do something with my old one, so I turned it into a server of sorts. It hosts my media library with Jellyfin, as well as my Minecraft server with AMP. I could have paid one of the multitudes of services out there for a server, but those only have decent prices for a few months of time. By hosting my own server, I can keep it up for as long as I want. It's also easier to access from within my local network.
I learned about AMP, as well as Playit, from this Hardware Haven video. Setting up this server was super easy thanks to these services. I had to pay a one-time $10 fee for AMP, but now I have access to this software for a lifetime. If the need arises, I can host lots of other games, such as Terraria. Minecraft, however, is a lot easier to run as a passive world where people can join as often as they please. There's no pressure to use it before time runs out - it's open for as long as I'm capable of keeping it open.
My core memories of Minecraft lie in the world my friends and I built together, back when Realms were introduced. We relied on the one free realm you could get per account. My friends and I constructed a whole story within that world, with buildings all linked to our characters. The username I have now was actually derived from my old one in this time period: Skullcracker555. But we don't need to go further into that.
Needless to say, I may no longer have access to these worlds, but they remain in my mind anyways. I can still remember the layout of the main area of that Realm, just like how I can recall the layout of gm_construct from Garry's Mod. These digital places can be so easily erased, yet my brain grip onto their memory so fiercely as if they were physical places I visited.
Minecraft, like No Man's Sky, is endless. Not necessarily because the game worlds never end, but because the game con be continuously enjoyed with a community. It exists within our collective psyche as more than a game, it is a place to create something collectively.
If you're interested in joining my Minecraft server, just add "minecraft" to the front of this domain, like so: https://minecraft.skel.fyi. There, you'll get all the information and files you need to join. I recommend using Prism Launcher for managing your mods, as it is open-source and can obtain mods from multiple sources.