By Brian Kirby
What do we do with our short time here on earth?
That’s a question I ask myself often. Some people seem to find the answer in their careers: Follow your passion, and you’ll never work. That's a piece of advice I’ve heard ever since I was a kid. Sounds like a good plan, except that my passions aren’t typically the type that you can make a lot of money from.
On a table in my office, next to my desk, is a nearly square block of wood - just under an inch high. It’s about a foot and a half long on each side. The wood is from a type of spruce, and it’s stained, resulting in a light brown color. The top has a 19 by 19 grid, printed in black. Some of the lines are slightly faded, and the top of the board has some small dings that have developed over time from wear. Next to that block of wood are two beautifully carved bowls for holding stones: one filled with shiny white stones, made of clamshell, and the other filled with black stones made of slate. If you haven’t guessed, what I’m describing here is a Go board and stones. Go is a popular strategy game in Asia, and it’s one of my passions. The board and stones came to me as a gift from my wife of over 16 years.
I met my wife in Japan. We were both exchange students, living in Sendai for a year. She was cute. One night, coming back to my room, I saw a note attached to my door. She had invited me to dinner. I was nervous and excited, and I remember combing my hair so straight that the part on my head would put a ruler to shame. We had a great first date.
Click here to read the rest of Brian’s meditation on the game, lessons and loss.