Aselin

I awoke this morning to a terrible discovery, two of the most important holidays ever had gone by this week completely uncelebrated by yours truly. Now, I'm always missing something, keys, sunglasses, once a kid. Always. I have demands on my time from chores, kids, school, activities, driving, pet massaging and as a consequence I just can't do it all. But to have missed these two sacred days gives me pause to re-evaluate my whole life.

These two days really act as a unifying description of who I am on a very deep level. At the risk of getting too personal, I feel I must share my pain.

This past Monday, April 13th, all over the nation, like-minded celebrants gathered to honor and celebrate one of the greatest National Treasures our country has. I suppose I was distracted by tax protests and pirates. It is with profound shame I admit my deeply inadequate remembrance of National Scrabble Day.

Throughout my life Scrabble has given me, and thousands, nay hundreds of thousands of amateur parlancers like me, an outlet for their knowledge of 'words that use Q and no U'. It's a very special breed who has such talents. Such knowledge is sought for high level intelligence positions and used on the international espionage entrance exam. No, not Trivial Pursuit. Not Monopoly, but Scrabble is the quintessential American nerd game.

But I mentioned two interdependent holidays. To have missed both of them in one week underscored that my priorities are clearly out of whack. The children can feed themselves, the dog must learn to be on his own, I must re-dedicate my focus to things that matter. What could matter more than yesterday's celebration of "High Five Day?" I'm not sure I even gave out one high five yesterday at all. I must re-consecrate my efforts for today is the dawn of a new day.

No well played rack of tiles can be better punctuated than with a resounding High Five from your fans. Scrabble decorum requires that the actual participants refrain from such displays, they are akin to spiking the ball in the end zone in a college football game and not considered good form. But the fans, how can the fans adequately express their exultance at my etymolgical prowess if denied the high five?

Scrabble is not a game of the plebian fist bump. Scrabble is ensconced in history and tradition which eschews the evolution of lesser forms of physical expression. Maintaining the dignity of the patrician, the linguist and upholding all tenets of erudition, Scrabble and the High Five represent what is best about this country, even best about humanity. Were we all to sit down together with our tiles the world would be a better place. (High Five)