Card Games Versus Computer Games

The memories come back to learning to play games like euchre and 500 children and the hours we spent doing the same as we grew up. The fascination I felt was like a math lesson every time we played. Later, at the university, many students gathered around the tables in the student quarters and the cards were always the order of the day.

What a fun we all had and the challenges were exciting. Now, however, hardly anyone is playing cards anymore as computer games and Xbox have taken over in many homes. My young grandchildren spend hours in front of the television with a joystick in their hand doing things that have no intellectual advantage. Even adults have fun with the things they can do on a computer rather than around a table with the family.

In recent years, my efforts have extended to Bridge and have also played 500 at local clubs, which have sessions on weekday evenings. It's interesting how many alumni like me enjoy the night and how competitive those efforts can be.

The brain needs stimulation as we get older and there is no better way to exercise it than having to think about how it wins in a game of cards. Isn't that something that young people will also benefit from? While my generation grew up in a different world where television and computers weren't invented yet, my kids now think they're smarter because they can outdo me on the computer. If only they knew what they were missing.