Come-unity
About three days ago, one of my office friends told me about a time when he went for a community event of board games. In simple terms, strangers and friends all meet at a cafe or a restaurant to play board games. Not something simple like Ludo (I suppose there are communities of Ludo as well), but something which are generally niche but interesting board games. He said that he didn’t expect much before going but had a lot of fun for close to three hours. That same group was conducting an event yesterday night and suggested that we go. The thing is, I’ve stopped going to community events.
I did enjoy some before, but the prospect that it might not be a good event and it might ruin a big chunk of my predictable day pulls me away from them. Hence I’ve mostly been reading books by myself or talking to friends who has a predictable character.
I thought I’ll give it a try this time and went for the event. Starting 6 30 in the evening till 11 in the night, I even forgot I have a dopamine production facility in my pocket. It was a group of about twenty people playing a board game called “Catan”. Though it was my first time playing the game, and though I’ve lost, I loved being present in those moments.
I thought being with predictable people is better than taking the chance of going out. I suppose it’s the other way around.
Only when I meet new people is when I realise life’s much more than calmness. It could be sadness, happiness, jealousy, grit, silence, sincerity, anger, resentment, and a million other things. We are here to experience everything. We are not to be with predicticality, but to be with just people.
Guess I’ve grown to love the comfort. Comfort’s my safe space. Nothing’s wrong with a safe space. Still, every once in a while, only if I look out for new friends will I have a chance of growing my safe space. I can always come back home. But I can also bring new people in.