Life Lessons in Free Cell

As a newly unemployed person (was laid off a couple of weeks ago) I am faced with a bunch of activities that I am thoroughly tired of: searching want ads, printing off cover letters and resumes, examining my wardrobe for interview outfits. It is a scene that has produced very little for me over the years of my working life, and here I am – months away from retirement age – going through this again. I had hoped that job would hold me until I at least had the option of retiring.

I have been running away from those activities (until today) by indulging in my passion for Free Cell, which has replaced Spider Solitaire as my computer game addiction. I enjoy these games because they confront me with screens of playing cards in utter disorder, and the point of the game is to put them in order. I enjoy doing that.

But I have played Free Cell for so long now, and with such intensity, that the program usually gives me very difficult games. I don’t mind challenges, but I prefer them to offer me at least a ghost of a chance of success. And so, believe it or not, I am discovering life lessons in Free Cell.

My Source tells me frequently that I am impatient and that I try to force things to happen instead of just allowing them to unfold. Nowhere do I find that more evident than when I play Free Cell! The more thoroughly I look at the screen, the more slowly I go until I manage to find a move that opens the game up, the more patient I am as the game progresses – the more likely I am to win it, although it had seemed basically hopeless at the beginning. I have to be cautious, I have to tinker with the moves, and I even have to be sure they will lead to the result I desire which means I have to pay careful attention to details. And I must look ahead a few moves, not just rush forward.

There are often times, also, when I feel backed into a corner; I see no moves to make regardless of how I stare at the computer screen. Then, suddenly, as I am about to give up on the game, I see something that I had overlooked. I look carefully at it. Often it involves risk, but I try it. Voila!! The game falls open!

When I am playing this game patiently and allowing things to unfold, I win. And the moment when things look the darkest is the exact moment that I move the single card that throws the game open. Generally speaking, I win more games than I lose because of these factors.

Will that help me in the greater “game” of seeking sources of income? While I play this “game” called “looking for work” will it help if I am patient, pay attention to details, refuse to give up, and allow the results to play out however they will? I certainly feel backed into a corner; the local economy is downright depressed, and I’m competing with many younger people. I’m not sure I have much of a chance here. But it works in Free Cell. What do I have to lose?