Life as video game

I don't like video games. Never have, really. It could have something to do with the fact that I have no aptitude for them, so any exposure, however brief, leaves me feeling slightly incompetent or worse. Jumping on moving mushrooms (is that what they are?) or dropkicking someone by simultaneously pressing A and B simply isn't my forte. I don't even strive for mediocre. I simply breathe a sigh of relief when the screen pronounces, "Game over."

On rare occasions (and it's been years since I've played a video game), friends have taken over the controls to "get me to the next level." It's silly really, since it's not really me playing the game anymore, but there's something strangely comforting about having someone else deal with the stuff that's too tough to resolve yourself.

What if life were like a video game and we traded off the tough stuff to a friend who could clearly see where our strategy was lacking? "I'll get you through this relationship bump. I know exactly what to do. Then I'll give you back the controls. And you're better than I am at dealing with children. Can you navigate my kids' teen years and let me know how it goes? I'll take over again when they've graduated from University."

Alas, life is not so easily passed off as Super Mario (this is the extent of my video game knowledge, perhaps once again revealing my lack of savvy in the video arena). It's play your own game, make your own mistakes and see where it takes you. And sometimes, just when you least expect it, you take a leap...and land on a mushroom.