Life is the game that must be played, this truth at least, good

"Life is the game that must be played, this truth at least, good friends, we know; so live and laugh, nor be dismayed as one by one the phantoms go." These words of Arthur Rubinstein echo the timeless truth that life, with all its joys and sorrows, is a game—a game that must be played. It is not a game of chance, but one of active engagement. To play it well requires a spirit of joy, a willingness to embrace the fleeting nature of time, and the courage to face the inevitable losses that accompany the passage of days. The phantoms Rubinstein speaks of are the illusions and fleeting moments that pass away, whether they be our fears, our regrets, or the very people and experiences that once seemed so vital to us. Yet, rather than grieve their departure, we are called to laugh and live fully, knowing that the game of life, for all its transience, is worth playing.

In the ancient world, this very truth was understood by the philosophers and poets who reflected on the nature of life and death. Heraclitus, the philosopher of change, spoke of life as an ever-flowing river—"You cannot step into the same river twice." Everything in life is in constant motion, ever-changing, and so we must embrace this impermanence with open hearts. To fight against it is to fight against the very fabric of existence. Socrates, too, taught that we should not fear death, for it is but another part of the grand game that life offers us. In his final moments, surrounded by his friends, Socrates faced his own death with a serenity that came from understanding that life must be played fully, no matter how fleeting.

Consider the story of Alexander the Great, a man who, in his brief life, achieved what many thought impossible. He conquered vast lands, spread his vision of a unified empire, and yet, at the end of his life, he faced the same truth that Rubinstein speaks of: everything is fleeting. Despite his conquests, he could not hold back the passage of time. Alexander's death, as untimely as it was, serves as a reminder that no matter how great our achievements, life is still the game that must be played. We cannot cling to the past, nor can we hold on to the things that no longer serve us. We must live and laugh in the face of the inevitable passage of time, for that is the only way to truly engage with life.

Rubinstein’s call to live and laugh is not merely about embracing joy in times of happiness, but also finding humor and lightness in the face of life’s challenges. It is a reminder that we must not take ourselves too seriously, for the game of life is unpredictable, and the phantoms—whether they be fears, uncertainties, or losses—will come and go. Instead of resisting, we are called to accept the ebb and flow of life, to meet it with a spirit of resilience, and to find joy even in the most difficult of moments. Laughing in the face of adversity is not an act of denial, but an act of strength, a refusal to let the fleeting nature of life steal our sense of humor and lightness.

There is a profound lesson here for us all. In our modern world, where the pressures of success, appearance, and permanence often weigh heavily upon us, we must remember that life is not meant to be a race to the finish line. It is a journey, a game to be played, filled with both triumph and loss. We must learn to embrace the impermanence of things—the people we love, the dreams we chase, the moments that seem so vital—and allow ourselves to find joy in the very transience of life. By doing so, we free ourselves from the burden of attachment and open ourselves to the full richness of experience.

The lesson that Rubinstein imparts is that we must live fully and joyously, no matter what the circumstances. To do so requires the courage to embrace change, to find humor in life’s absurdities, and to celebrate the fleeting moments that make up our existence. It is in this acceptance of impermanence, this ability to laugh and live in spite of it, that we find the true essence of life itself. Grief and loss will come, as they must, but in the midst of those inevitable trials, we must remember to laugh, to live, and to play the game with all our hearts.

As we go forward in our own lives, let us take this wisdom to heart: that life is the game we are meant to play, and in playing it, we must find joy in every step, every win, and every loss. The phantoms—the illusions we chase, the losses we mourn—will pass, but the joy we find in the game itself will remain. Let us laugh, let us live, and let us never forget that, despite its uncertainty, life is always worth playing.