The Hidden Card
My Grandfather had some oddities. We all have our zips into these areas, and often there is a trigger that causes these things. We ourselves may not even know or remember what they are.
My Grandmother was a reader, and for some reason Grandfather took exception to her reading. I'm sure she was like most of us who have a penchant for reading. Once begun on our journey into a book that's where we want to be...until the journey's end.
My mother was a reader like that. But because she spent so much time working she never read. She didn't have enough time to take off on a journey. I suspect Grandmother was like the 'always having the nose in the book' person. Whether it cut into her other duties or not I don't know. However, at some point Grandfather forbade her from reading novels. She could read magazines and short things as such, just no long books.
Another of our past-times was playing Canasta. One summer when my sister and I were still home, and my cousin Coco also, we would do our housework and morning chores, and after preparing lunch, and eating that meal, we would wash, dry, and put away the dishes, and clean off the dining room table. Then we would spend the next two hours Jackie and Coco playing Canasta partners against Grandma and I. They always won except one time. My sister got so mad that she lost that one time she stomped off. It was memorable. So memorable she still remembers it and is embarrassed by it.
In those days I was much more mild mannered. It didn't bother me so much to lose in those times. But it does much more so today! In reading a discussion of personality types, the question was, 'When playing cards or games would you prefer to play partners with your spouse, with someone of the opposite gender, or with someone of the same gender?' My answer? I don't care, as long as I win.
Winning is important to me. I don't cheat, but I play to win. So, back to Grandma. At some point she took up playing Solitaire when there wasn't anyone to play Canasta with.
I have been badgering friends and family for several years. I developed a card game. The idea of teaching myself to watch the game and apply it to life lessons. Often in playing games I find that I don't pay attention to what I should be watching. Today as I was talking and playing my game I got down to the spot where I could finish the game only to realize that I could have finished it earlier, had I been watching closer.
The reason behind the game is not merely entertainment, although it is fun. The purpose is that in life we make choices easily, and we don't always think or weigh the options. If we plan things out at a certain point we can have better finances on a daily basis and long range, we can have a better family life, better social life. Planning can make for a better today and tomorrow.
I haven't played my game often lately, and it depends on honing your eye to make those wise decisions. Today I missed the one card that would have given me what I needed earlier.
As one of my son's piano teacher told him many times: practice does not make perfect. You can practice and practice, and each time practice it wrong. No, only perfect practice makes perfect.
Psalms 37:5 "Commit thy way unto Jehovah; Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass. 6) And he will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, And thy justice as the noon-day."
