Week 36. Outplayed At Scrabble
By my mother!
This week offered a reminder that not all meaningful moments come from work, deadlines, or ambition. Some come quietly, over a table, with a board game, familiar faces, new faces and shared memories. I spent an evening at my uncle’s chess club, not to play chess, but to take part in a Scrabble night held in honour of my grandmother, who recently passed away. She loved a game of Scrabble. Growing up, it featured heavily at weekends and family gatherings, and it felt entirely fitting that the evening centred around something she loved so much.
My uncle, a lifelong chess enthusiast, has built something genuinely special through this club. What started as a personal passion has become a thriving local project, welcoming adults and juniors alike. Chess is a remarkable game, particularly for young people. It teaches patience, foresight, discipline, resilience, and how to think several steps ahead. Scrabble does much the same in its own way, expanding vocabulary, encouraging creativity, and sharpening the mind.
Educational games like these strike a perfect balance: learning disguised as play, competition softened by laughter
Much like I reflected in Week 5 when discussing entrepreneurship and the importance of innovation, this is another quiet reminder of the value in finding what you love and pursuing it with intent. Not everything worth building is driven by money or recognition. Sometimes the real reward is that silent sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from knowing your life is aligned with your values, and that, in some small but meaningful way, you are helping others become the best versions of themselves. I find that deeply inspiring. Kudos to everyone involved at the community centre, both at the venue that hosted the Scrabble night and in similar spaces across the country. The work being done to build, sustain, and strengthen local communities deserves recognition and genuine appreciation.
As for the tournament itself, my own campaign was short-lived. I was knocked out in the first round by my mother, who made excellent use of the Scrabble dictionary and powered her way to the final. There, she met my uncle, who delivered a masterclass by playing all his letters in one move and sealing victory. The prize was a beautifully crafted trophy, which he now holds until next year, as this event will become an annual fixture.
Competitive, yes, but entirely good-natured. I look forward to next year!
Although my grandmother was not physically with us that evening, her presence was unmistakable. The nostalgia was powerful, bringing back memories of family life, laughter around the table, and the small rituals that, in hindsight, mean far more than we realise at the time. It was a poignant reminder of how deeply shared activities bind us together, across generations.
This week, I want to take a moment to recognise and thank those who dedicate their time to educating young people and building welcoming community spaces. Projects like this matter. They give people somewhere to belong, somewhere to learn, and somewhere to simply enjoy being together. In a time when community life can feel increasingly fragmented, these initiatives are more important than ever.
Sometimes we don’t fully appreciate the people around us until they are no longer here. Let this be a gentle prompt to change that. Seek out shared interests, support local projects, spend time learning and playing together.
Communities are built not just through policy or institutions, but through moments like these, across a board, over a word, or in quiet competition that brings people closer rather than apart.
