Sometimes the most unexpected discoveries lead to the greatest joys. At 45, I found myself in a curious position—after pouring my heart and soul into work because I genuinely love what I do, I suddenly realized I wasn't sure what I enjoyed doing outside of the office. It's a strange feeling when you've been so focused on your professional passion that your personal interests have somehow gotten lost along the way.
So for my birthday in May, I decided to try something completely new. I hired a mahjong instructor to come to our house and teach us how to play this ancient game. What started as a birthday experiment has turned into one of my greatest discoveries of the year.
Mahjong is pure magic—it's patterns and strategy with just the right dash of luck. What I love most is how it keeps your brain nimble and engaged. You're constantly analyzing your tiles, planning your strategy, but then someone discards a tile or reveals something on their rack, and suddenly you need to pivot. It's like a beautiful dance between planning and adaptation.
The game has this incredible way of being both meditative and exciting at the same time. There's something deeply satisfying about organizing your tiles, looking for patterns, and slowly building toward that winning hand. And when you finally call "Mahjong!" after carefully constructing your winning combination—there's nothing quite like it.
What started as a personal hobby has quickly become something that brings people together. Will has learned to play, I've taught my family, and now I'm hoping to spread the mahjong love even further. There's something special about gathering around a table, hearing the satisfying click of tiles, and sharing in the collective "bam, crack, dot!" experience.
If you're curious about learning, I highly recommend following Claire Briggs on Instagram (@letsmahjongyall). She's the incredible instructor who introduced me to this world, and it was such a random discovery that I found her online—but I'm so grateful I did. Claire teaches classes and offers "free play" sessions, making the game accessible to everyone from complete beginners to seasoned players.
Mahjong has truly become one of my favorite hobbies, and I'd love to share this passion with our team. The game is perfect for building connections, exercising your strategic thinking, and just having plain old fun.
So here's my call to action: If you already know how to play and want to join a mahjong night, let us know! And if you're curious but have never played, consider this your invitation to learn something new. Who knows? You might just discover your next great passion.
After all, it's never too late to rediscover what brings you joy—sometimes it's just waiting for you in a set of 144 beautifully crafted tiles.
