Competition

A bunch of us ladies go over to the clubhouse most evenings of the week and play board, card, or dice games. Our game of choice lately is "Farkle" which is played with 6 dice (die?). It's interesting to watch the competitive spirit...or lack of it...in the players.

I'm competitive and love to win. I'm a good loser but a poor winner because I tend to giggle when I win. The losers don't like that. I've tried various ways over the years to temper my responses when I do win, but the giggle usually wins out.

Years ago I was playing a card game with my husband who was the world's worst loser. I kept beating him even though he had given up all pretense and had begun to openly cheat. I giggled one too many times and he overturned the coffee table we were playing on and walked away mad as hell. I rolled on the floor with laughter...and then wondered why he never wanted to play cards with me again.

People who are too competitive can't enjoy a game just for the pleasure of playing it. We call these people "poor sports" and no-one wants to play with them.

The ladies I play with have a comfortable degree of competitiveness. We like to win but we're so happy when one of our own manages a win after many losses. Playing these games is only a facade for a social gathering. It's the laughter and chatter that draws us more than the game.

Tonight our clubhouse was absolutely full of people playing one game or another...and the room was filled with laughter.