Joy is the ability to find happiness in small ways
If you are not an avid scrabble player or a word aficionado you may think me to be a bit daft. But regardless, I was playing a scrabble game this week when my opponent played the word ‘hermit’. Before she placed it down on the board she hesitated and seemed to be struggling. Players sometimes do that when they are not certain that their play is a legal word. But in this instance, as soon as I saw the word, I was puzzled by her earlier behavior. It wasn’t until after the game had ended that I was able to find out the details about her struggle. To the left of the ‘h’ in ‘hermit’ was a DWS and there was room after the word for another tile or two. She told me that she was afraid that I might alter ‘hermit’ with a ‘t’ on the DWS and an ‘E’ at the end, making ‘thermite’. Wow! I had never considered that. It reminded me of the same lesson that I teach in SCRABBLE 101, about seeing the possibilities. That supplied me with enough joy to last an entire day. And I am re-experiencing that joy as I recount the story to you.
I am sure that you find your own joy in the things that you do in life. Joy sits ready and waiting for us to find it and enjoy it.
Some of my greatest joys from scrabble come from learning words and then recalling them in key game situations: having the word ‘feature’ and hooking it below ‘howf,’ creating ‘howff’ (he never saw that coming); all the esses were gone when I played ‘cold’ under the center TWS. (I hoped that my opponent didn’t know the ‘a’ hook forming ‘acold,’ as I sat with the last ‘a’ on my rack.)
Planning and strategizing my way to victory at the scrabble board provides me a natural high. I become equally enthusiastic when my opponent make a sensational move against me. I’m not saying that I like to lose. And I become annoyed and irritable when I lose to opponents who get all the good stuff and play predictable, easy bingos. But if you play lavalava or tsktsks against me, I will surely stand and applaud you on the spot. (And I will share in your joy.)
Have a joyous scrabble day today.