Philosophy | Creative Non-Fiction
The Game of Life
Metaphorically describing Life as a game.
What is life? This is the type of questions I ask to myself when I’m bored because I find it amusing to come up with answers. This one specifically has been visiting my mind over and over, and even though we are all experience this great event, the answers to this questions are so vague.
As a poet, I find it easier to explain things metaphorically, so this is my explanation to this game we call life:
Welcome to Life; the only game that is created with every move you take.
This is an introduction containing the main elements and components that you will find in the game. Each element will be described for a better understanding.
You will be given a set of skills that you will discover throughout the journey, it is up to you to use them or not, but it’s only fair to safe the game will become more coherent if you do. You will encounter players that you might assign as counselors and you will perceive their advices and recommendations as guidance for your game, keep in mind this recommendations comes from the Guide’s own experience of the game and it might or might not serve your experience, either ways, you have the power to choose if you follow advice or create your own path.
During your journey, you’ll be able to meet players and you might choose them or not as your teammates. Some players choose to play the game alone, and that’s allowed, too. Teammates are players that accept to be a part of your game, and let you be a part of theirs. Teammates can be a part of your game for as long as you determine or for as long as it works for every party. Sometimes we have to let go good teammates, for the better good of their game, and sometimes you have to get rid of some challenges disguised as team players. Finding teammates that complement and support you makes the journey easier and happier.
You can also pick the arena you want to play in. As an advice, picking an arena where your skills are useful can make the performance less challenging.
You’ll move through your board every time you make a decision and you might move forward or backwards, depending on perspectives. Regardless of how you move and how you feel, you will never stay behind as in this game the only competition should be yourself. Don’t be fooled by other players as they are each playing their own game. Comparing yourself to other players can set you back.
There is only one rule: play ’til the end.
THE GUIDES
Your first guides will be recognized by you as your parents, they are meant to teach you all the basics for survival and protection; these are the guides that shape you.
Before you start the game, you choose your Parent Guides, as you know they will provide you the experience you need to grow during this evolution. Most parent guides are not taught how to perform this role, so don’t be too harsh on them. They, themselves, are also playing this game as best as they believe they can.
As you evolve through your journey you will find many more guides. Some you’ll call teachers, some you’ll call friends. Some will be present in your game and some you will never meet. But they all have the same goal: help you become a better player and grow and learn as fast as possible.
Their mission is mostly to give you the tools and knowledge they gathered through their own experience in the game. Sometimes this tools will work for you and sometimes they won’t, but they will always help you figure out the best way to move through the board.
You will always have the ability to watch your Guides’ and other players’ journey and mistakes with the purpose of not making them yourself, but most players choose to experience their own lessons to learn.
THE SKILLS
Each and every player are gifted with a set of skills to use during the journey. The tricky part for some is discovering this skills or believe they are worth it. You might think some players were given more skills than others, but the truth is they chose to develop and use them.
Occasionally players deny their given skills and adopt others. This is permitted, even though it might take longer for a player to develop skills from scratch.
Some learn and some blossom their skills; either way, skills will help you shape the path you decide to follow.
PLAYERS
Every human you encounter is a player of their own game. Some players might become helpers, messengers from creator, teammates, or even guides, and some bring challenges for you to grow and become a better player. Don’t take the trouble or intentions personal, they are trying to understand the rules and carry themselves throughout their game with the tools and guidance they were given and they act depending on the experience they had and the choices they made.
The type of relationship you maintain with each different player is up to you. Keep in mind players have the power to affect and influence you in many different ways, positive and negative. You can never decide how another player act, but you can decide how you act on other players and how you react to these actions.
Every thing you give or take from another player will sooner or later be given or taken away from you, too.
Relationship with players is what makes the game worth playing and intense. Building up meaningful relationships is a short-cut to a joyful journey.
The sooner you understand that players are not competition, but simply a necessary element of the game, the sooner your relationships will become rewarding.
Recommendation: play with players the same way you would want to be played with. Fairness is the key to an uncomplicated game.
TEAMMATES
Teammates are the players you choose to actively participate in your game. They make the game brighter and the road simpler if you pick wisely. There are two types of Teammates:
Sporadic Teammates
Also known as friends, family or partners. These players will come to action when you need them. Their purpose is to make the game smoother, never more complicated. You can have as many Sporadical Teammates as you feel. Sporadical Teammates are usually not a part of your whole game, or they come in and out of it from time to time, but the impact they have on your game should always be positive.
Main Teammate
This is the player that will at some point merge their game with yours and you’ll both play it as one, if you are both willing to. This is the player with whom you have to create strategies to play, the one that you choose as a main support, and will adopt your situations as theirs; it’s only fair to reciprocate.
Choosing a Main Teammate is one of the trickiest decision you might face, as some Sporadical Teammates seem as a match but you later realize they’re not. Be patient. Merging games can turn out catastrophic is chosen wrong, but it’s very worth it if right.
As every other element in the game, it is up to you deciding if you’re willing to select a Main Teammate or any teammate at all. Some players choose to play alone, and that is fine, too; but the game is played better and you win sooner when you select the right team.
THE ARENA
This is the field where you will use your skills and realize your worth. The Best Players transform their arena into a new, bigger, better ground, although not necessary.
Your natural drive is wanting success. Success is a long road, and some quit before ever getting there. Taking long does not means failing, and quitting midway will delay your goals. The hardest workers are the most rewarded at last.
If you don’t feel comfortable in the Arena you picked, there are a million different options you can switch to anytime. It might be intimidating to change Arenas, but if it feels right, it probably is.
TAKING TURNS
You will have the opportunity to take turn every time you are presented with a decision to make. Every time you take a turn the whole game shapes according to the move you make.
Some moves might seem insignificant, but the slightest turn shifts your path and experience. Every step and every choice will affect you or other players somehow. Beware with your moves, you don’t want to harm or get harmed.
CHALLENGES
Challenges might be presented to you as situations, taking a turn, or even players.
Challenges are every game-changing event that you have to confront and they intend to make you a stronger and greater player.
Every challenge you face is an opportunity to create a new reality and rebuild your perspective on the game and its elements. These are the events that will mold and define you as a player. The way you confront challenges is a way to show what type of player you have become, and depending on how you act upon them your game might turn brighter or darker.
Challenges seem as negative at first, but they are just battles that builds you into a better warrior and most of the time this is the fastest way to evolve and overcome yourself.
WINNING THE GAME
There are no actual rules for this games, every action and decision is permitted, but they influence your game immensely. The “instructions” described are nothing but a template that applies to every player. Following this guidance is optional, like everything else in this game.
The only objective is ending the game, but you can win before you end. Some players end the game and never win. Winning is not about achieving every goal you set to yourself, but rather feeling pleasure even when you fail
To win you have to feel happy and fulfilled. You know you won for sure when you reach enlightenment, but it’s not necessary to get there to win. It’s about feeling joy during each and every second you play, even through the challenges. After you win, challenges no longer feel as challenges, and you feel comfortable playing with anyone and anywhere. How you achieve that depends exclusively on how you play.
Tell me, how close do you think you are from winning your game?
Writer’s Social Media:
@itsqueengg
