December 23 has always carried a quiet weight for me—it’s my grandmother’s birthday. Though she passed many years ago, her story still lingers: a life marked by resilience through the Great Depression and WWII, by the challenges of single motherhood, and by struggles with hardship and healing. She never understood video games, but she understood endurance, change, and the importance of finding joy in small moments.

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🎲 Games My Grandmother’s Generation Played

• Checkers & Chess – Timeless, inexpensive classics that were accessible to nearly everyone.
• Card Games & Dominoes – Portable and simple, often played by soldiers and families alike during WWII.
• Sorry! (1934) – A lighthearted release that offered simple fun during hard times.
• Monopoly (1935) – Born in the Depression, it gave families a way to “play at being rich.”
• Scrabble (1938) – Invented by Alfred Butts, an unemployed architect, it became a wordplay staple.
• Clue (1949) – Released just after WWII, its mystery theme reflected postwar intrigue and entertainment.

These games were lifelines of joy in difficult times, reminding us that play has always been a way to gather, distract, and endure. Have you played any of these games lately? Maybe it’s time to pull them back out of the closet!

My grandmother’s life reminds me that resilience is not about avoiding hardship—it’s about facing it with courage, adapting, and still finding joy.

🎮 Modern Games That Echo Resilience and Reflection

Today’s games carry those same lessons in new forms:

• Life Sims (The Sims, Paralives) – They remind us of the unpredictability of life, the importance of adaptation, and the beauty of building something meaningful even in imperfect circumstances.
• Cozy Games (Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing) – These games highlight resilience through routine, connection, and rebuilding after setbacks.
• Narrative Games (Spiritfarer, Season: A Letter to the Future) – They explore themes of loss, memory, and carrying forward the legacies of those who came before us.
  • My personal favorite is Dordogne – A watercolor narrative adventure about revisiting childhood memories and reconnecting with family. Its gentle storytelling and focus on memory help you to reflect on loved ones and the lessons they leave behind.

As the year closes, I find myself reflecting not just on the games I’ve played, but on the lessons they carry. My grandmother’s life reminds me that resilience is not about avoiding hardship—it’s about facing it with courage, adapting, and still finding joy. Games, in their own way, give us space to rehearse those lessons, to imagine futures shaped by care and creativity.

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This season, I invite you to reflect on the lessons you carry—from family, from history, and even from the games you play. ✨ Which game has taught you something about resilience, change, or the strength to keep going?