More Then Just a Game
Every Wednesday, I gather around a table filled with colorful tiles, game cards, a little friendly competition, and a group of women who have become one of my favorite parts of the week.
Now, if you have ever played Mahjong, you know there is a lot more to it than simply matching pretty little tiles. At least that is what I tell myself every week when I look down at my rack and Mahjong card and think, “Wait a minute, what section can I play?”
For someone who has been playing for less than two years, let me just say there has been a learning curve. Okay, maybe a big learning curve. There are suits to remember. Flowers and jokers to understand. The Charleston. The rules. The directions of the deal and the walls. Some days it feels less like a sophisticated game and more like a dance routine from my childhood.
Lean to the left.
Lean to the right.
Stand up.
Sit down.
Fight, fight, fight.
Okay, maybe not exactly like that, but there are definitely moments where I wonder if I need a choreography sheet instead of a Mahjong card. And yet every Wednesday, I show up.
I still make mistakes. I still ask questions. I still occasionally look at the other ladies with a confused expression that says, “What the?” Thankfully, they sometimes feel the same way.
Some weeks we have enough women for one table and other weeks we have enough for two. There are usually anywhere from four to nine of us gathered around, which means sometimes someone rotates in and out of the game.
And because we are a betting group, the funny part is you can actually win or lose money even while sitting out.
Last week we happened to have exactly enough players that no one rotated out. We all sat in our chairs for quite a while and one of the women finally announced she was getting stiff and needed to move around.
Naturally, the logical solution was a group stretching session. Because nothing says serious Mahjong players like standing up in the middle of the game and doing the bend and snap.
We laughed as we stretched and snapped our way back to our seats, probably looking less like graceful fitness instructors and more like a group of women simply enjoying being together.
And honestly, that is exactly what we were. That is what I love most about Wednesday Mahjong.
Sure, I love when I win a hand. It feels like a major accomplishment when all those confusing tiles finally come together and I can proudly announce “Mahjong!”
Some days I am luckier than others. Some days I go home with a few extra dollars in my pocket. Some days I do not.
But the real reward has very little to do with money or winning. It is about the connection.
As we get older, it can become easy to stay in our routines. The children are grown. Our lives look different than they did years ago. We can become comfortable staying home, watching television, or saying maybe next time when a new opportunity comes along.
I am so glad I did not do that.
When I first joined Mahjong, my motivation was simple. I wanted to meet new friends. I wanted to challenge my brain. I wanted to learn something completely new.
I did not know that I was also saying yes to a weekly dose of laughter, community, and friendship.
There is something incredibly important about continuing to be a beginner, no matter our age.
Learning a new skill reminds us that we are capable. It creates new pathways in our minds. It keeps us curious. It gives us stories to tell.
And perhaps most importantly, it brings us together.
I think we all need more moments where we gather around a table, put down our phones, share stories, laugh at ourselves, and simply enjoy the company of others.
Maybe there is something you have been thinking about trying. A class. A club. A hobby. A new group of people. Perhaps you are afraid you will not be good at it or you will feel awkward being the beginner.
Trust me, I understand.
There are still Wednesdays when I quietly whisper to myself, “What in the world am I doing?” But then I laugh, ask for help, and keep playing. Because life does not require us to be experts at everything we try. It simply asks us to keep showing up.
To stay curious.
To continue learning.
To allow ourselves to have fun.
And maybe, just maybe, to have a glass of wine or two while doing it.
So here is to trying new things, exercising our minds, embracing friendship, and celebrating the simple traditions that make our lives richer. Because in the end, what happens around our Wednesday table is truly about so much more than tiles, cards, and a little bit of money. It is about friendship, laughter, connection, and all the beautiful things that make it more than just a game.
xo, Sheryl
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