Nancy Mramor Kajuth, Ph.D.
Photo by Jing Bo Wang on Unsplash
Recently, I saw an article that said the game Mahjong was good for the brain. It showed the tiles used for the game and they looked like something from a foreign torture exercise. I commented to my friend that Mahjong was good for the brain but probably way too hard. I think that while I was curious about the game, I was also convincing myself that it was NOT a good idea.
Then, I continued to get emails and posts about the resurgence of the game and how many people were playing it. Still not convinced, I remembered how much I loved word games, picture games, question and answer games and generally anything with WORDS
Mahjong is clearly not a word game. It is a numbers and Chinese symbols game, a foreign language game, none of which give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. English and Writing were my favorite subjects since way back in elementary school. Math, I tolerated and mostly passed, but it was never an interest or something I sought out in my spare time. I was always reading novels or creative non-fiction and had written a couple of books that got critical awards. Clearly, I knew my niche,
Then my friend said that we could have a Mahjong group with two other people that we knew and it was all set up! I was game (no pun intended) to try it. My first experience was that it was hard, as I initially anticipated. I continued to find encouragement from Pittsburgh Magazine which carried a six-page spread on the resurgence of the game. Local libraries were sponsoring games and Mahjong Centers were popping up in local neighborhoods, I was surrounded, cornered, and thrust into the Mah corner with no way out. I had made a commitment to the group, and I prided myself with keeping my commitments.
I am busy. I still have a private psychotherapy practice, am the co-leader of an IONS study group, dedicated to the interface of spirituality and science, a member of a book group, a life-long meditator and an avid enjoyer of life in general. They were all things that were clearly in my wheelhouse , and while requiring effort and dedication, were personally rewarding.
When I had a free moment, I did NOT want to practice Mahjong online, take the daily Mahjong challenge, read the newsletter, or play the game against my computer, all activities that my team mates relished. These activities made me feel like Houdini upside down in a straightjacket with no way out. I was clearly out of my comfort zone.
We began meeting, having fun, taking turns bringing snacks, and playing the dreaded Mahjong. I was slower to learn than the group because I did not have the time for at-home practice. But I could hang in there. I decided to convince myself to like it. After all, the point was that it was good for my brain.
I ordered Mahjong for Dummies and decided to see where it would lead me. Stretching and giving the brain unfamiliar things to do is generally a good idea, and the friendship and food in the group were worthwhile.
I know that late in life, it is a good to do things that take you out of your comfort zone. It’s important to challenge your thought processes. While I was used to making people uncomfortable with the truth of the causes of their unhappiness, in order to create the life they desire, that was a deeply personal pursuit. It had nothing to do with a radical change of learning a new language and tackling something that was clearly never a strength. This is typically the change that as human beings, we try to avoid. And change is most often recommended in small and gradual bites toward a new and healthier outcome.
Yet If we have the courage to step out onto a new path to see where it goes, then the truth is just that we will see what happens. Whether it is a relationship, a job, a lifestyle change or a game, it is worth the pursuit. And the journey is where the fun is!
I will let you know how and where it goes and keep you up to date. Meanwhile, choose something small and simple that is new and get your feet wet. Let me know how it goes. I’ll be back with more later…..
Until Next Time,
Dr. Nancy