Have you ever played chess before? It really is a fascinating game.
It has only six types of pieces and each of those pieces have a specific and distinct way to move. First there is the King, the least mobile piece, only moving one square at a time per play. Ironically, the most valuable and least important piece of the game. All five pieces are his protectors, yet he is practically immobile, thus leaving him almost useless. One of his protectors is the Rook, who has slightly more mobility by moving horizontally or vertically. Then there is the Bishop, who moves diagonally through the board. The Knight, the most unique, operates in an "L" formation, attacking his opponents by jumping over others. The Pawn, the most underrated, has the most complicated movement, having the option to move forward one square or two and only attacking diagonally. My favorite, the Queen, has the most power on the board because she is able to move in any direction she pleases.
During my stay in Vegas, I recently played a poorly hybrid game of chess and slots. I lost, but that isn't really the point to my story, or is it? Anyway, playing that game got me thinking about how much life can be like a a game of chess. Or at least, I'll go with just my life. There is always something in my life that is this "valuable, invaluable piece" that I feel the need to have or protect or save. This piece holds me back and makes me play odd moves. Though I hold high value for it, it's immobile. It's as dormant as it can get, and I hate stagnancy. Yet here I am, always being the Pawn. I'm not even cool enough to be the Knight or the Bishop. I'm the one with the complex moves that go unnoticed, the one that people get rid of first, the one that allowed people to walk all over me.
2014 was the hardest year of my life. I let the game take over, and I lost. I lost my friends, I lost respect, and I lost the only person I have ever loved, but the worst thing I lost was myself. I became stagnant. I didn't grow for myself, I grew for other people. I moved for other players. I really did become the Pawn. I'm not entirely sure when I realized I needed to take advantage of my complexity and really begin to move forward, but I eventually did. After losing so much, there is really only two options: stay frozen, or continue to move. So I moved, gradually, and I started to play the game for myself. When I did this, I noticed the confidence build in me, I felt the pain ease, I started to find myself again, and I started to believe. I'm not the Pawn anymore, because now I am the Queen.
It is only the first month in the new year, but I already know 2015 is going to be incredible. I've already been moving at unbelievable speeds that have taken me to places I never thought I would go and that is because I live by a new motto. Making a move is required.
If you want to dominate, moving is a necessity and I want to share every move, every play that I make because I'm not playing for anyone else anymore. I'm playing for me. For the first time in my life, I'm going to be the Queen and move in any direction I please. So get ready for obscure, foolish, embarrassingly, entertaining stories because they are coming!
I believe this is the time when I would hit the clock and say, "Checkmate!"
