The day had been a long one, and I didn’t really feel like stepping out of my comfort zone to try something new.
The evening started with a bit of stress. When I agreed to call bingo, I had no idea what equipment was involved. I pictured a wire ball cage that I would spin before selecting a numbered ball. I’ve seen boards with circular indents that hold each ball as it’s called.
Instead, I walked into the room to find a large electronically lit board with a full bingo table designed to randomly serve up numbered balls. The set up looked like something straight out of 1970, but I never knew such a thing existed.
As someone handed me the microphone, people sat waiting expectantly for the game to begin. What I also hadn’t anticipated was the need to fill the space between the numbers being called. Hoping to liven things up, I quickly looked up a few bingo jokes. As it turns out, bingo jokes aren’t much different from dad jokes.
After a laugh or two, I loosened up and started improvising with a few of my own half-witted jokes. I even sang a measure or two when a number inspired a particular corny reference. Bingos happened, prizes were won, and people seemed to be having fun.
Then it happened.
I announced that we were moving from diagonal bingo to a black out game. The atmosphere changed immediately. I wasn’t sure what happened, but one look around the room told me I had made a mistake. Judging by the expressions on people’s faces, I feared I might be blackballed from calling bingo forever.
Trying to maintain a calm and confident demeanor, I listened to the grievance of the crowd. Because the goal had been a diagonal bingo, some players had marked only the numbers needed for that pattern. Switching to a black out game meant they needed time to mark all the numbers that had already been called.
Problem solved.
By the end of the evening, everyone left with a smile. It was a fun event for a good cause. Several community organizations partnered to support one another, and the crowd enjoyed the chance to play and win prizes.
And I tried something new.
In life, I’ve heard it said that the days are long, but the years are short. No matter the season, I find that to be true. That’s why doing something new can brighten an ordinary day.
When I left home that evening, I was tired and reluctant. When I returned, I felt energized and renewed. Stepping outside my comfort zone reminded me that purpose isn’t always found in grand accomplishments. Sometimes it shows up in a shared laugh, a willingness to participate, and the simple act of bringing who we are into the room.