Blog 102 – 8.25.15

I have often heard the remark “I don’t want to play games” or its twin “I’m not playing games.” In my self appointed role as devil’s advocate or other side of the coin guy I’d like to present a case for playing games.

Games can be quite fun and educational. Some of my earliest memories of fun times with my family are of sitting around the kitchen table playing games. I learned money by playing Monopoly. Heaven knows it would have taken a lot longer if I had had to wait till I saw real money. I was almost an adult before I held a real one hundred dollar bill but before I started school I knew all about ones, fives, tens, twenties, fifties, one hundreds, and five hundreds. I also knew about railroads, buying property, building houses and hotels and the importance of paying and collecting rent. I also knew that staying out of jail was important. Pretty important lessons to learn at such a young age.

Though the church my mother grew up in taught against card playing and she would start taking my brother and I to church after her brother Richard drowned when I was ten, we played all kinds of card games at home, five hundred rummy, hearts, and dad even taught is to play poker. Dad was sure we learned to play by the rules. He had a book of Hoyle so he could check the rule book to settle all questions. Dad taught us to watch out for cheater’s tricks. One of his favorites was looking at our cards in a breadbox on the counter near the kitchen table that had a chromed front. We used to have to keep a kitchen towel over the breadbox to keep dad honest.

I remember my drill sergeant in Basic Training telling us guys not to tempt our brothers by leaving our wallets on our bunks when we showered. It is a good rule to follow. I have for a long time understood that locks are just to help honest people stay honest. If people are desperate, drugged, drunk or otherwise not in their highest and best minds a lock will not keep them from stealing, killing, or doing damage. Sober and honest hearts always play by the rule, the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That is a rule that many of the other rules sadly are written to get around.

But back to the side of the argument that says playing games can be a good thing.
There are some pretty fun games to play. My dad loved to play double pinochle and since it takes four players he taught my mother, brother, and I to play. I remember my brother and I were so young when he taught us that our hands were so small that we had trouble holding all the cards. Double pinochle is a long game and really not an appealing game to children so my folks had to bribe us with sweets to get us to play.

Adults like to play games too. The Game of Love is not just a sixties Rock song it is a favorite sport of many. Dating, even marrying are just a game to many people and when it is no longer fun they quit playing. But before we get critical of others. I want to say that I think life is supposed to be fun and that the pursuit of happiness is as the framers of our Republic said an inalienable right. Having said that this game of love has rules and you break them at your own peril. One of the rules is you cannot make anyone love you or want to be with you and that even men can and do change there minds. Often love at least in the game people play is short lived.

Games are all designed to teach us important lessons and The Game of Love is no different. The real winner at this game is the One who loves with all his or her heart, soul, mind, and strength. The goal as in life isn’t in getting but giving. Love, love, love it is its own reward.

Your friend and fellow traveler, Lover,
David White