My Birthday Suit

My family is small. It's made even smaller by the fact that all of my extended family lives abroad. Holidays growing up were just the four of us; my mom, dad, sister and me. And I am six years younger then my sister. In pretty typical fashion, I idolized her. In some ways, I think I still do. My idea of a really good night when I was young was to spend it in the company of my whole family, all four of us engaged in an activity together. Most nights that was just television where I'd almost always be forced to watch programs that bored me to death ("60 Minutes" is definitely dry for pre-teens!) Enough whining and complaining, and I was awarded the promise of family game night on special occasions, like Christmas and maybe my birthday. True to the laws of supply and demand, this definitely contributed to making me really value games and family time. Unfortunately, as we grow up there are less and less opportunities for us to enjoy those simple nights of honest fun. To date, they are still some of my best memories though.

It's a typical week in New England with temperatures ranging from some balmy 50s to bitterly cold with a wind chill that freezes the hairs inside your nose. It doesn't stop the hearty New Englander from venturing outside to enjoy some seasonal fun; snowshoeing, skiing, ice skating, sledding, etc.  Sometimes though, you don't want to wrap in three, four or five layers of clothing to stay protected against the elements in order to find some fun. And for those of us still rehabilitating a sports injury, it's not possible. By the time February rolls around, I've also seen my fair share of movies and I'm pretty much all set with the downtown bar scene (having exhausted that 'fun' in my 20s.)  So, what's a girl to do on a cold winter weekend night? That is, besides have yet another quiet night at home..

I had been fortunate a few years ago to befriend a group of people who also enjoyed board games. We made it a semi-regular plan to play UNO, CLUE and other games and drink cases of beer. That group was based on couples though so as individual couples fell victim to relationship woes, the group slowly disbanded. Long story short, I've not been part of that game night for a while. So, it was a great surprise to be invited to a different 'game night' at the home of someone I am just getting to know.  My expectations were pretty low considering that I have a special place in my heart for a solidly competitive game of cribbage over beers. But I knew I should give it a chance; a night out with simple fun could be.. simply fun.

The group is a very eclectic mix of personalities. No one is 'quiet' per se.. in fact, I was the quiet one to begin. Everyone else there had clearly been a part of this gathering before, so I was also the newbie. It's never easy to work out how you fit into the dynamics of a pre-established group. I don't think it's a stretch to say that it makes most of us uncomfortable. I didn't have the energy or desire to be "on." I wasn't interested in small talk. Thankfully, games provide a forum for common discussion so we could focus on the games instead of painstaking attempts to answer 20 questions on who you are. I think that's the true genius of games - it can bring people together. It can bring together families whose interests vary greatly, or even people who aren't that familiar together for light-hearted entertainment.  I think it's easier to get to know people in the midst of a game then in response to "so, how do you know so-and-so?" at a stuffy cocktail hour. During a game, your guard is down and you can let your competitive side bridge the gap between being self-conscious and genuine. Provided you're not a real jerk, you realize that you and these virtual strangers are having a nice evening. No pressure. No mind-numbing conversation.

Regardless of how low maintenance we all claim to be or want to be, we are complicated beings. So it is a relief when we discover something simple that can bring joy. For me, the simplest pleasure is a hug. The hug that holds you safe and lets you release stresses by melting into the embrace of the other person. I miss those hugs.  I am just relieved for now that I forgot things for a few hours. That I enjoyed a different, simple pleasure; an escape into a few laughs over THE NAME GAME and PICTIONARY. You'd have laughed too if you'd seen how I drew "birthday suit." It was humble, simple fun.

I still love board games and while it wasn't quality time with people I love, I am grateful that I had a chance to escape into those games this weekend.