It’s 10PM. Do you know where your chess pieces are?

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with a new one.

    Some time ago, before the pandemic, I was taught the basics of chess at a non-profit organization for people with a diagnosis. The name of the organization, which at the time taught different classes and had support groups was, “The Wellness Center.” It was located near a McDonald’s in Lake Forest. The funds for the organization were from the government. The Wellness Center received government support to have these classes and support groups available to those with a diagnosis at no-cost because people voted yes to provide help for the mentally (some title it neurologically) ill. All of the support was given at no-cost to people with a condition or diagnosis which in some people’s opinion is a form of mental illness which can also be considered a disability. If you have a problem with the opinion about the words “mental illness,” “neurological illness,” “condition,” and “diagnosis,” I’m going to agree to disagree. I exercise my First Amendment rights with my blogging here.

   Do you want to hear the good news? The Wellness Center still exists in the same place and helps people find jobs, learn coping skills for better mental health and stability, and talk to people who have similar, the same, or different types of illnesses to help each other. To explain all of my words into simpler language, The Wellness Center in Lake Forest provides a place to go, someone to talk to, and gives people ways to improve their lives for free. Living with a mental or neurological illness is no joke. You may be saying to yourself, “Well, there aren’t any mentally ill people where I live. Why couldn’t the government have used the money for something better? Who voted for funds to be given to non-profit organizations?”

    To which I might ask, “You don’t know any mentally ill people? I do.” I can even tell him about someone who attempted “unaliving” himself because of what is termed treatment resistant depression who lived in my neighborhood. If he asked what “unaliving” meant, I could ask, “Are you triggered by the word suicide”? If he said yes, I would move on and talk to him about a neighbor who was trying to get a job despite having an illness because he wanted to work. The Wellness Center has an Employment Specialist and some computers, which helps because he doesn’t have a computer, paper, printer, or an Employment Specialist. He sincerely wants to work as he was a line chef before and thinks he has something to offer. Also, it goes without saying that the cost of living has become absurd in our area and he wants to earn money to pay his bills.

    In terms of why couldn’t the government have used the money for something better, I’m not sure how to answer the question. I vote every year and try to make what I feel are the best decisions. If I recall correctly, I was not asked to vote on measures pertaining to giving money other than the schools in our area. So now you know how I feel about The Wellness Center and now I can tell you more about the chess and how the class changed over time.

    The young man teaching me chess, whose name I don’t recall, seemed like he would be slotted into the same group as me. I would term us, “Americans of Asian descent”. If my guess as to his age were correct, he was likely 20 years younger than me, or even younger. In any case, after teaching me about chess, we played a game. I quickly lost but developed a fascination of the game and wanted to know how he won so quickly.

    In Chess, from what I have been taught at the classes, you have to play with every piece on the board in mind. Some years after my first lesson, after the pandemic had ended, I returned to the Wellness Center. For me, learning new skills, playing games like chess which stimulate the mind and take away depressing thoughts and ruminating, and connecting with people is important. This time around I got a new teacher who introduced himself as Boz. He described his background, where he came from, and details about his family and his hobbies.

    With him, I got a more in-depth lesson at the Center because more time was given. After playing different people and watching games, I finally won. The win felt good. Later on, thinking back to the pieces, the question was not, “It’s 10PM. Do you know where your Chess pieces are?*” My question was, “Did Boz let me win?”. If he did, it’s ok. I couldn’t attend every Chess class because I was focused on getting a job. The Employment Specialist worked with me to give me an advantage in interviews. I think someone with anxiety, ADHD, or depression might benefit from working with the Employment Specialist. After working with him and attending classes on how to get jobs, I felt more confident in searching for a job. He did a mock interview with me so I wouldn’t show up at an interview feeling unprepared or being seen as not the right candidate. 

    In the end, I got a job which is suited for me. The title I have up there, “It’s 10PM. Do you know where your chess pieces are?” is from a Chess.com email. One of the employees at the Wellness Center helpfully informed me about the website, which can be played for free, but I believe has in-app purchases. Since I’d rather play people than a computer, a real chess set may be a purchase I make soon. I am grateful people voted for mental/neurological health resources to be available at no cost. Voting is how we, the American people, make our voices heard and choose what we want the world to be like.