Senior to Senior: Seniors Play Solitaire

If you like to play cards you probably took umbrage when a certain somebody said it was a waste of time. I had all but given up playing cards in the years before the pandemic, but the waste of time remark prompted me to search out a well-worn deck of cards. One of my favorite books, made into a movie, was about an “older” woman wiling away hours in a prison cell, learning 72 ways to plays to play solitaire. It occupied her time and as it turned out, the microfilm was in the deck of cards. Well, no microfilm in my cards but playing solitaire has always been a great way to relax and calm the mind. I like to think of solitaire as an inexpensive tranquillizer that, while mildly addictive, is not harmful to your health. Some say it is a way to delay dementia because it stimulates the brain. Who am I to argue about that? We learned to play card games and to build houses out of cards; it was quite a fete. Busy work, sure, but remember when we were kids, we didn’t have internet, movies or computer games. All we had and needed was a deck of playing cards. I prefer physical cards and find the exercise of shuffling therapeutic for osteoarthritic hands, but by all means, play a digital version if necessary. Stuck in traffic or on public transportation; crank up your phone or iPad for a digital game. Not quite the same, but it will do. The best part is that you don’t have to round up another person to play with; it is all about you. You won’t always win, and cheating is taboo, but there is always a glimmer of hope that you will prevail. Is it really a waste of time? If you have an anxious mind, and many of us do (always thinking ahead, planning the next event, worrying about everything) solitaire is for you. Solitaire. Just the right level of absorption to let your mind reset. The structure and symmetry, the repetition, and the simplicity, are all soothing to the busy brain. Don’t let anyone shame you into giving up this simple pleasure.