During the past few days, my brother and I have been playing an online board game called Feng Shui Mahjong before going to bed. It's a simple game whose goal is to clear all the tiles on the platform by matching similar tiles. What we do is we play one game and clear the tiles per level alternately. If I clear all tiles, we move on to the next level. If he does, the same thing applies. It's challenging and fun at the same time. As we explore the different game themes further, I realize we are learning several life lessons while playing Mahjong.


1. Be patient and follow the rules. I can be impatient at times that's why I understand people who are always impatient. Waiting for someone or something can be boring, especially if you're not doing anything. But then, it's also true that patience pays. Some things are better never hurried up. Just like in Mahjong where you have to wait for the tiles to get cleared before you can go to the next level. You have to wait for your turn and follow the game rules.

2. Think more than once before deciding on things. Regret always comes in the end, and it's never a good feeling. Before making the final decision, it's true that we should weigh things first. The pros and cons of a particular move should be studied. In Mahjong, the same rule applies. You don't just match similar tiles the moment you see them. You have to think what will be the implication of your action. In such case, we should make sure no tiles get hidden or trapped so that we can go to the next level.

3. If you'll look at things from a different angle, you're perceptions will be different as well.There are times when we lose hope because we look at the dark side of things. If we look at the picture from a different angle, we often see the bright side and things would eventually get better. Mahjong is a tricky game, you have to look at the pile of tiles from different angles to identify the parts where the tiles are heavily concentrated. You have to target them first to lessen the obstacles and succeed in the end. Very much how life is, isn't it?

4. The view from afar may be better than the close up view. To spot more similar tiles, especially if we are running out of moves, my brother and I take a look at the board a few feet away from the monitor. It never fails to let us see more similar Mahjong tiles. In real life, close-ups let you see the finer details of something but sometimes looking at it from a distance will make you appreciate it more. And sometimes, it even gives you wisdom or new ideas that could lead you to victory. In real life, that's what we usually get when we open ourselves to new opportunities...we broaden our horizons.

5. Learn to strategize. In Mahjong, strategies are vital. You have to learn to strategize to get to the end of the game. You don't just click the matching tiles, you build a plan and execute it. There are only two endings to any game: it's either you win or you lose. You know as much as possible you want to experience the former.

6. Celebrate victory.In Mahjong, you are the captain of your own ship. Victory is best cherished when you are at the helm. As human beings, we celebrate victory in a grand way, no matter how much or little we have. We throw parties and invite people to share in our joys. We show gratitude to God. We are thankful. Victory is one of the best things in life.

7. Accept defeat. Mahjong allows you to lead the voyage and steer your flock to the right direction. One wrong move you make on the tiles is all it takes to destruction and defeat. Accepting defeat is one of the lessons being taught at Mahjong which is very useful in real life. Defeat is as inevitable as death. Life can be hard sometimes, no matter how beautiful it started. You don't always get what you want. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It's all part of the game called life. To make things work your way most of the time, put on a lot of hard work and keep the passion alive.

8. Laugh at your failures, learn your lesson and move on.When playing Mahjong, my brother and I usually laugh our heads off. We try to mess with each other during each other's turn, especially if we're nearing the end of the game. We also help each other if we feel we can do something smart to win the game. And if we don't, we play again and the adventure continues. Just like in real life, we should never say die.

9. Practice makes perfect. If you wanna perfect something or at least do it properly, you have to practice regularly. Playing Mahjong is fun and a sort of bonding moment for me and my brother. As we play each night, we become better Mahjong players. The same goes true in real life. If you have a goal or wanna be good at soemthing, you have to always challenge yourself and take time to learn it correctly.

10.Never take life so seriously...take some time to play. It's been said over and again, live life to the fullest and never take it seriously. No one has come out of it alive, according to a famous saying. We play Mahjong, or any other games for that matter, to relax and have fun. There's no money involve whenever my brother and I play, we just have a good time. There are no dull moments in a person's life if he knows how to play and have fun. As for me, I work hard and play harder. After all, playing makes me feel lighter, younger and more vibrant than working.

So, what do you think? Are there games you played before that taught you a lesson or two about life? Share it with me. :)


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