I Have No Idea

I’ve been learning to play bridge!

I can’t say with any degree of confidence that I “know” how to play bridge, but I certainly know more today than I did a few weeks ago. I’m enjoying it, too. I love playing games. I know that seems like a, “No duh” kind of statement, but I really like playing games. I’m really excited to take my new skills (I use that term lightly) into the world of competitive bridge (but not that competitive).

I’m getting together with the, “Jeff doesn’t know how to play bridge” group again tomorrow, and I’m exited to see if we’re getting any closer to having it in the bag. But one of the most surprising things about this group is how few of us actually know how to play bridge. We’ve had around eight or nine different people joining us, and of that number only two had ever played bridge before. That’s a lot of people who don’t know how to play bridge trying to play bridge. It surprised me, but in a really lovely way. It can be intimidating to learn a new skill or game, especially when you’re around people who are exceptional at it. Bridge is intimidating for that very reason. People who know how to play bridge are really into playing bridge and as a novice, I had never wanted to hamper people’s enjoyment with my questions. It turns out, I’m not the only one who had never felt it was the right time to learn how to play bridge.

When we’re intimidated by something, the human reaction is to shy away from it. It only makes sense. It’s a risk, and it leaves a person vulnerable. It puts us in the position of being, “The dummy” (I’m already making bridge puns!) and requires acknowledging that we may not know something. It’s hard not to know something when other people know it. I feel like everyone I talk to knows how to play bridge, but I just never got around to it and it was too late. But I decided to make a point of how little I know (as opposed to all the other times I do so on accident), and I think that helped other people accept that there are things we don’t know.

I was talking about this with a member, and I felt glad that this is a space where people feel comfortable admitting they don’t know how to play bridge.

But really, that’s what a church should be.

That’s what we’re doing here. We’re not sitting with all the knowledge hoarding it jealously. We are just people trying to figure out how to do our best. The church is many things, but I submit that this is an important way that we can define church – a place where people feel comfortable not knowing something.

Peace,

Jeff

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If you’ve ever felt like everyone else got the instructions and you missed the memo, whether it’s bridge, belief, or just being human, you’re not alone. At Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church in Brighton, NY, we make room for questions, curiosity, fun, and the courage to say, “I don’t know.” Come be part of a community where not knowing is never the end of the story, it’s just the beginning. All are welcome! We are located at 1200 Winton Road South, Rochester, NY 14618, and can be reached by calling our office at (585) 244-8585 or sending an email through our contact form.