Whenever we play Scrabble in our home, we have a rule that if you score over 300 points you get to write your name in the box lid. It’s a highly sought-after position — having your name in the Scrabble box lid with your score beside it. One time Esther and I were playing and she was beating the slop out of me. She was well on her way to a 350 point game. But it was late at night and Tim had just moved to a bad section of the city. He was coming home on a bus and he realized he didn’t know where to get off the bus. He called me to get online and look it up for him.

Esther and I put our Scrabble game on hold and I worked to help my son get from the bus to his stop to his home in the dark of night. While everyone else was fine, I was out of my mind, obsessing about him getting home. Eventually, because of my inability to think of anything else, we had to abort the Scrabble game. What would have been the highest game Esther had ever played ended.

I have to say, Esther was not happy, but handled it very well.  I, on the other hand, regret it to this day.

The tendency we have to obsess about things is one that can effect our life negatively in far more important areas than game play. It hinders healthy living. This podcast offers some keys to escaping the pitfall of obsession.

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