Who would have ever imagined that those words that penetrated my mental sky as a youngster would reveal so much about life?

Even as I write, the song continues to ring in my ears. I can hear the melodious voice of Kenny Rogers while he sings, “You’ve gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em.” Although, I am not an advocate of card playing, the words of this song speak volumes.

Time and time again, I have witnessed those who have graced the card table of life, fold too early. There have been those who were dealt, what is believed to be a bad hand, blamed the dealer and ultimately gave up on their hand.

However, a real card player knows better.  They know a good hand is not necessarily determined by the value of each card, but sometimes just a simple reordering of the cards to the right place may reveal a winning hand.

This principle can also be applied to our lives. In the game of life, sometimes a simple reordering of the cards to the right place can go a long way.

Often times we are dealt a hand that seems unfair to the average person. The cards may not be ideal. We may be dealt stress, sickness, pain, frustration, and heartache. Consequently, we begin to question ourselves, “How can I win with this hand? How do I keep from folding?”

The easiest thing to do is to look at the bad hand, shake your head, complain, and simply fold. This takes absolutely no effort. If you choose this option you are sure to experience at least one of two outcomes, failure or the uncertainty of what you could have achieved if you had not quit. There have been too many of us who have given up on our dreams due to a bad hand.

Today as you read this column, you or someone you know has cards that are face down on the table of life.

The stress of your hand has literally worn you out and you continue to ask yourself, “Will I ever get a better hand?”

You may even be contemplating folding but I advise you to stop and take the time to rethink your hand.

Remember, with a little tweaking, you can win. The stakes in the game of life are high; but we can’t win unless you win.

Stay in the game and make the best of your situation because together we can change the world.