Life as a Game

In 1944, Erwin Schrodinger published an article title ‘’What Is Life’’, in which he stated that life was the Physical aspect of the living Cell. Indeed we are made up of single and most times multiple cells, but the question is, is that all there is to life? Are these cells what drive us? Why do we act in a certain way?

Leaving the scientific and complex analyses of life, we can describe life and draw some inspiring lessons from some simple human activity. One of the unusual activities of man from which we can learn some exciting lessons is his love for games since time immemorial. A casual look at different universally common games gives us some beautiful descriptive pictures of life from which we can receive inspiration.

Ludo

A board game played with two dice and four tokens. The first to bring all their tokens to the finish, wins the game. This game sometimes shows that not everyone who comes out first; in the end gets the glory. It takes time, strategy and planning to get to the top.

Monopoly

This game is played with a dice, set of card rules, money and some properties to invest in. Like a real life situation, it teaches you how to invest your money, buy properties and stay out of bad investments. Any bad investment will land you in jail or make you go bankrupt.

Chess

Great wars have been won with this game. By applying the rules of the game, you build a wall of defense around yourself. You become a lord over your subjects and they fight to protect your interest. Sometimes sacrifices are made to protect the interest of the king, this justifies the saying “in the game of chess, the puns go first” But a wrong move without thinking carefully, all that you worked for comes crumbling down.

Snake and Ladder

This game has the same features as the Ludo but different rules apply. On lives journey to success we encounter difficulties along the way which drag us down from time to time and other times we receive tremendous help which elevates and takes you to the top. These obstacles are the Snakes in the game while the Ladders are there to advance you.

Card Games

Playing with a set of cards (applies to all card games). Knowing what is in your opponents hand is impossible in a game of cards unless you are a genius and can count cards. For you to win a card game, you have to be the one holding all the cards and once in a while call your opponents bluff. So tread carefully, don’t be too confident unless you have a trick or two up your sleeves.

Puzzles: at the start of a puzzle you may or may not know what to expect. Along the way, confusions will arise and at times you may feel like it cannot be done. But who endures to the end, enjoys the spoils.

Dice game

While the dice is in his hands, the outcome is unknown to the player but he hopes for a double-six. This is called faith.

Scrabble

Making something out of the unknown is quite demanding to man. In a game of scrabble, the player reaches into the bag of letters not knowing what to expect. His ability to make something meaningful of it and place it where he either gets a double letter/word or triple, shows how man can be creative.

In life, there are winners and losers. This does not mean one should stop playing the game because if you quit, that’s where the fun ends. Instead, you strategize, plan, invest, make sacrifices, take calculated risk, have patience, have faith and be creative. The more you play the more experience you acquire.

Written by Didia Oscar Chidi

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Didia Oscar Chidi hailed from Rivers State, Nigeria. He holds a B.A in English Language from Madonna University, Okija and currently pursuing a M.A in Journalism and Mass Communication in Ghana. He have been trained in series of executive certification programs ranging from oil and gas, project management, event management to procurement management. He functions as a media and project consultant for President360 Company Limit in Ghana. He has interest in literary works, youth development and entrepreneurship.

2 Comments on "Life as a Game"

  1. Mariblair Isibor A. | 6-Dec-2014 at 17:52 | Reply

    Inspirational, challenging, and educative piece. Life as portrayed by Mr Chidi is entertaining, educative, and informative and yet can be enjoyed as a game. It’s either you are on the winning or losing side. Now the question thus far, What’s your position so far in life since conception, and on what side do u belong?

    It won’t be far fetched to say life gives us humans choice to make. This choice is always two(2) in number, you are either here nor there, in or out, rising or falling amongst other words and opposite.

    The best and famous people the world recognizes today are not those who always made the right choices and succeeded but those who made right and wrong choices and raised above the former.

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