Day 23,720: Remembering Time Well Spent

I’m not good at playing games. I have a few house games, because I think that’s what Shore houses should have – games and coloring books for rainy days. But, when it comes to actually playing games and remembering the rules, I’m abysmal.

It likely stems, I think, from being the youngest in my family, where it was difficult to win any games. Everyone was older, smarter and better at understanding the rules of the game. I always played along because the fun was in being allowed into the game, not the game itself.

The fact that I always lost was likely why I was a good loser early on. My grandfather was the first to comment on it, or recognize it as a positive trait. He watched when I played incessant games with an older cousin and, despite always losing, came back for more. The pay off, as I already stated, was just being in the game.

I wonder if that’s why as adult women we were OK for so long with being underpaid?  At least we were hired and in the game.  Hmmm.

I was so bad at most games that when I won, I knew the game had been thrown, especially when playing chess with my father. He was a master, and I was below rookie level. I remember telling him I didn’t want him to throw the game. I was willing to lose just to learn to really play. If you win because the game was thrown, you really never improve.  From then on in I think my Dad made sure to win but not too badly so the game could be extended.  He also realized the fun was in shared time together, not the game itself.

Perhaps that’s why, years later, my brother got so upset at a pseudo-relative who cheated to win a card game against me.  I didn’t mind losing, but my brother was livid that the elderly ‘uncle’ would cheat to win. Although it showed his lack of character, my brother was more upset that an adult would take advantage of a child.

Now, as a Crone, I have to admit I’ve won a few games or two along the way. Winning is always sweet. Losing, however, is not sour especially if your co-players are people you love to spend time with no matter what it you’re doing together.

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Daily Focus on Gun Sanity:  Listen to The Daily Podcast by Michael Barbaro for April 2, 2018.  The team delves into the 27 words that make up the Second Amendment, and explores why the Supreme Court may be so hesitant to take cases that involve it. Part of the problem is likely how vague the amendment is. It’s great background and shows why the Parkland kids may be totally on target in looking for legislative reform since that’s where laws are written, and need to be clear rather than convoluted.