Moving Past the Learning Curve
Though not only do I hunger for socialization, I also yearn for something that will challenge my mind and keep the synapses in my brain firing away like the Fourth of July long into old age. Mah Jongg, a game of luck and skill, does both. (Mah Jongg is a Chinese word and is spelled phonetically, therefore there are several variations as you see with words from other languages, such as Hebrew’s Hanukkah or Chanukah. In Asia, it’s spelled with one g; in America it’s two. They are both correct.)
I used to think playing games was a waste of time, which is not unusual living in a society that seems to value productivity and success over leisure activities. But according to recent studies, game playing might be the perfect panacea for keeping our minds sharp and slowing the rages of dementia, staving off depression and providing us with adequate amounts of socialization -all things necessary to promote healthy and positive aging.