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Will Boynton wrote in this week to share his journey with learning to play Bridge and how it became a tool for his emotional well-being:
“I already know how to play bridge!” I complained to my Grandmother.
I had just come out of the hospital, finally for the first time admitted I needed help, and accepted treatment. My world was very much still spinning. Bridge lessons were not what I really wanted at that time.
My Grandmother and my Mother exchanged looks and laughed at each other. “I got you bridge lessons for your birthday. If you already know how to play bridge, then you’ll breeze through them.”
Suddenly a little unsure of myself, I let out a deep breath of exasperation, but I went. I had no idea the lessons she had gotten me for my birthday would transform my life. I discovered I didn’t know the first thing about bridge and to say, “I know how to play bridge,” did nothing but betray my ignorance. You see, nobody really knows how to play bridge, but it’s fun. We can improve our game of bridge while having a blast doing it, but nobody really knows or perfects the game. It’s an ever-evolving game. Stretching your memory and ability to pick up nuances, it’s a blend of some math and some language, some memory, some deductive reasoning, and even some mood.
Bridge became my crutch. It exercised my brain in just the right way it needed to be. I connected with the older generation feeling like an old soul myself. These people didn’t sweat the small stuff; they just wanted to enjoy their remaining years around each other playing the game they loved and it was refreshing to me. They genuinely cared for me too, loving having some young energy around them. Bridge quickly came to mean much, much more than just some passing fad of a game to me. It became a facet of my life that will always be there for me. I am eternally grateful to my Grandmother for many things, but nothing probably compares to introducing me to the game of bridge. I am beyond excited; I feel blessed to be able to offer these classes to the mental health community.
If bridge means half of what it means to me to even just a couple people, these classes will be well worth it!
Will is offering lessons to members of our community who are interested in learning this classic game. Playing Bridge helps exercise rational thinking, memory, strategy, concentration, awareness, deduction, social skills, and communication as well as giving a means to measure yourself on a day-by-day basis AND IT’S FUN!!!
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