The game of life…

I love Black Friday shopping. The crowds don’t bother me and as my children get older the more expensive the list of requested gifts gets. Buying stuffed animals and Barbie dolls won’t suffice anymore, so Black Friday and Cyber Monday have helped me save quite a bit of money shopping for three teenagers!

After making my way through the shoe and electronics departments, I still enjoy browsing the board-game aisle because on the snowed-in days of winter and lazy days of summer, our family enjoys playing cards and games even as the kids have gotten older.

I was looking at Black Friday game sales, reminiscing about the days of Chutes and Ladders when it dawned on me that many of these children’s games also apply to situations we encounter throughout our lives. Chutes and Ladders teaches a great lesson about maneuvering the ups and downs we encounter throughout life. Just when we think we have lost it all, for example, we shoot to the top again!

Jenga, as another example, is a game that teaches us to work together to support one another because if one person makes an impulsive choice, everything we have collectively worked for can fall apart.

Twister? We all have to figure out how to be flexible in life and stay balanced when the pressure is on.

Monopoly is a game that teaches financial responsibility, but many times, just as in real life, business transactions reveal our true character when we are on top of our game or at our lowest point.

And, finally, chess involves strategic choices and consequences, so many possibilities with each having a different outcome—quite similar to the choices we face daily in life.

But no matter what game we play, we usually determine our next move in advance. While that can be a smart “game” strategy, sometimes a better “life” strategy is to take time to enjoy the moment, especially during the busy holiday season.

We know that events in life will occasionally throw a “wild card” our way, but we still have the opportunity to come out on top—by remembering how to focus on objectives, follow the rules and, certainly, never give up during the challenges!

By Melissa Kindall
Social Media and Special Communications Project Manager
Diakon Corporate Communications & Public Relations

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