Save Valentine's Day ... by Avoiding These Games

Dating can be a difficult process. Traditionally, two people might chit-chat over drinks or dinner, then spend two hours in a darkened theater ignoring each other. This is not the most effective means of getting to know someone. A shared activity is a better way to share the real you with someone else.

- By Bayard Catron

May I suggest a casual evening of board games?

Games reveal our passion, creativity, and how we think. During a game you can see someone unfiltered. You learn their sense of humor or find out if they are a team player or a good sport. Those who play together, stay together. I’m pleased to report the game group I’ve hosted on Meetup the past 14 years has inspired at least three marriages, with a fourth in the works. Bringing people together to share game experiences is proven to build strong friendships, which can grow into something deeper. A good partner in games could be a good partner in life.

It’s not all fun and games, however. There are pitfalls to playing with your significant other. My friend Michelle recounts a tale of her parents’ near-divorce over a game of Monopoly. Apparently, her father-to-be was winning big because he was sneakily stealing cash out of the bank! Michelle’s future mother grabbed the Monopoly set, threw it out on the front lawn, and vowed they’d never play again. Many years later, seven-year-old Michelle received a new Monopoly set from her grandmother and her mom quietly grumbled, “don’t let your dad be the banker.” It is a sobering thought that my friend might never have been born because of a game.