The Monopoly Lesson That Changed How I See Affairs

One Incident Can Change Things

It amazes me how one incident can change the way you feel about something — or someone. When I was a teenager and board games were all the rage, I invited my next-door neighbor, Ricky Gardner, over to play Monopoly. In the middle of the game, he pulled out a pocketknife and started stabbing the money.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I’d invited him over to play, and now he was ruining the game. I asked him to stop, but he kept going. Finally, I tackled him. We hit the wall so hard that we tore through the sheetrock.

After that, I never looked at Monopoly money the same way. Before the incident, I enjoyed playing the game and looked forward to it. But Ricky’s actions changed the experience. I never played Monopoly with him again, and something I had liked now carried an unpleasant memory.

When you think about the things you like, you might picture favorite activities, places, or people. A common thread is often the pleasure you get from interacting with them. That interaction might be real or imagined, but when you like something or someone, you generally enjoy spending time with them. Pleasant experiences can strengthen that enjoyment. When those experiences disappear — or are replaced by hurt, boredom, or conflict — your feelings can change.