The Game of Life

Have you ever played the board game LIFE?

I’ve forgotten how much the board game is [probably] inspired by living life. It’s been THAT long since I’ve played and I can’t remember the rules. But one thing I know to be true in the real game of life, some rules are ever-changing, and some remain the same. And maybe there is even a third category – there are rules so grey, that we can’t assign black and white meaning even when we humans try to.

For instance, the idea of loving thy neighbor is theoretically consistent with all human values. However, the definition of “love” and “neighbor” are ever changing and ever subjective. We don’t necessarily even like our neighbors next door, but we might consider everyone our neighbor. Or maybe just Americans and not “outsiders”.

And then there is the very definition of America – what it means to be “native” and an immigrant. My great grandparents on my father’s side emigrated from Great Britain and Scandinavia. On his side, I am 3rd generation American. On my mother’s side, I’m first generation American. Am I an outsider or just your everyday smorgasbord?

And then there is the game of survival – whether you are trying to figure out what Americans define as success, what a global society defines as success, what your employer or employees define as success and what your partner or nuclear family defines as success. The messages are as mixed as defining accountability in central government. Who gets to appoint the next Supreme court Justice? Mitch McConnell says it won’t be the President on his watch. The President’s very job is to appoint one while he’s in office but how does he play a game where there is no end game?

Or when I read about John Oliver’s rant over the corruption in FIFA.  It is such a complex layered game that corporations have entangled themselves in, it is hard to disentangle.

Playing the game is so much easier. But then again, that isn’t really living. I choose life. The real deal.  And we all know that life can be a game. It’s up to us to create our own version with purpose and care.