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I’ve always been fascinated with this board game. I enjoy watching my piece and my co-players’ pieces progress through a simulated life by landing on good spots (Win talent contest!) or bad spots (Ski accident!). We pick out careers, get married, have babies (sometimes none, sometimes so much there’s no more room in the car), buy a lakeside cabin, invest in a Broadway play, become grandparents, retire in Countryside Acres or Millionaire Estates.
No matter how many times we play this game, we always end up with different stories and have different endings. During one game, I was a teacher and an accountant, made $80,000 per payday, had 5 kids (2 pairs of boy-girl twins and one boy), had a great life and retired a millionaire. Other times I had no kids, got the lowest salary card, had a tornado hit my house when I had no insurance. You won’t really know what happens next to you — it all lies in how you spin the wheel and where the pointer lands.
~*~*~*~*~*~
That’s pretty much like real life, isn’t it? Spin the wheel and live your life the best way you can. Life is a chain of random events and it’s up to you to fit them and make sense out of them. No matter how much you plan for something, if it’s not meant to be, then it’s not meant to be. Tough. So you cry a little, mope a bit, and then you move on. That’s all you’ve got to do, life goes on, so you should go on.
There are things I plan for that end up not getting fulfilled. It’s very ironic and frustrating, as my job description is “Planner.” I was feeling particularly under the weather this morning, questioning God on certain things that are breaking my heart. It’s hard, you know. Life can be way good to you one moment, then way harsh the next. So it’s only natural to hurt and ask “Why?”
This prayer by John Henry Cardinal Newman helped me: “O my God, give me Your grace so that the things of this earth and things more naturally pleasing to me, may not be as close as You are to me. Keep my eyes, my ears, my heart from clinging to hte things of this world. Break my bonds, raise my heart. Keep my whole being fixed on You. Let me never lose sight of You; and while I gaze on You, let me love grow more and more every day.”
It’s difficult to remember this everyday, so thank goodness for a prayer like this that reminds me of what my priorities should be. And Woody Allen was right on the money when he said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” (Tin, I think I got this quote from you.)
While this is too heavy or cryptic a post to start the week, it’s something I wanted to share with you. That’s one way I want to play my game of life. Let’s help each other out so we could together make sense of the spots we land on. And just like any other game, we don’t want to lose. To win is to find contentment in the middle of all this randomness. It’s very tough but I am certain that we will all have our happy endings.
So…game. Let’s spin the wheel and play on.
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
bh
April 3, 2006 at 2:12 pm (18 years ago)I mean “Story Time”. Please revisit ‘4 Men’ story time for late comment.
Toni
April 3, 2006 at 2:13 pm (18 years ago)bh: Yup, got it. 😉 Thanks for the comment on Story Time!
mare
April 4, 2006 at 4:18 am (18 years ago)Toni, thank you for the reminder! My life hasn’t been the way I planned but I am thankful for without adversity and trials, I wouldn’t be able to appreciate the REAL blessings.
annabanana
April 4, 2006 at 7:14 am (18 years ago)hello tones!
got your email. i dunno why you can’t access my blog, but will ask my fairy blog ninang to check on it. my students like playing this game, too. ako i feel like it is a jurassic version of sims. 😀
Toni
April 4, 2006 at 8:22 am (18 years ago)mare: Cheers to that!
anna: Yes! It’s Jurassic nga. I’m fascinated both by this boardgame and SIMS 2!
Zita
April 5, 2006 at 9:27 pm (18 years ago)What’s the name of the board game? Where did u get it? Hope I can find one here. Mukang nice sya.
Toni
April 6, 2006 at 8:58 am (18 years ago)Zita: It’s called “Life” – it’s a pretty old boardgame. This one we have is “new” na, pinalitan na yun ibang nakalagay sa spaces to reflect the changing times. There’s an online version that you can download. Can’t remember where, basta type “Game of Life” download and you’ll find it. Sobrang aliw! Hours of good fun!
tintin
April 6, 2006 at 10:33 am (18 years ago)hi toni! i’m sorry, i don’t think the quote came from me.
i think what i shared with you is, “forever is just one long trail of nows.” anyway, i can totally relate to what you wrote – Life can be way good to you one moment, then way harsh the next. sometimes I feel that everything is going wrong in my life and I would ask. “God, why are you punishing me?” But then, my husbands helps me put things in the proper perspective. He tells me I’m not being punished, God just knows I can very well carry the burden I have – and I’m the only one who can carry it well, kaya I’m being given this load.
Here’s a text message I received from a friend:
God measures te person with the tasks he puts on them, so when you feel your load is heavier than others, be happy for God sees you as stronger than the rest. The real winners in life are the people wo look at every challenge with an assurance that they can be victorious through God’s strength.
God bless you, Toni!
Toni
April 7, 2006 at 3:08 pm (18 years ago)tintin: Oh my gosh! I thought it came from your site. Haha! Ang dami ko kasing qotable quotes na nakukuha sa ‘yo eh, I thought that one also came from you! Tama it was the “Forver is one long trail of nows” nga pala. Thank you for sharing that “text message” with me. It’s nice to have found you on the net — your words of inspiration always come at times when I need them most. Thanks tintin!