Charlie competed in his second cubing competition this weekend in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
He competed in the 2×2, 3×3 (the classic Rubik’s cube), Pyraminx, and clock events. Although he didn’t make the second round in any of his events, he set two personal bests.
He also served as judge and runner for several rounds of the competition, and in the process, he made a new friend. At the end of the competition, they exchanged email addresses and hope to see each other at future competitions.
I’m very proud of him.
I’m especially proud of the way he’s taken on this new challenge. Less than a year ago, he decided to figure out how to solve a Rubik’s cube, learning the algorithms necessary to solve it via YouTube. He spent three days watching videos, practicing, and eventually mastering the ability to solve a 3×3 in less than a minute.
In doing so, he became hooked. Other types of puzzles soon followed.
But other than asking us to purchase the necessary puzzles and paraphernalia—most of which he purchased with his allowance—he never asked for help. Never discussed his work with Elysha or me. Never said a word. He simply committed himself and proceeded.
In doing so, he expanded his life.
By spending time learning a new skill, he joined a community of cubers around the world. He became one of them.
I’m a big fan of expanding your life. Adding new skills and interests to your days, weeks, and months. Relentlessly learning.
Charlie once told one of my friends, “Dad is always most excited about the next thing.”
He wasn’t wrong.
While I think I’m as “in the moment” as a person can be, I always have an eye for the future. I’m always looking to the horizon for the next thing I can find to fill my life. Sometimes this is planning my next show. Purchasing tickets to the next concert, Broadway show, or sporting event. Scheduling my next storytelling or stand-up opportunity. Booking tee times. Finding new ideas for books and magazine columns. Pitching ideas to TEDx events. Planning vacations. Seeking new friendships.
But it also means finding the next “new thing” to add to my life.
What can I do today that I have not done before?
What new thing can I learn?
What will my next great adventure be?
Charlie expanded his life by choosing to take on this new challenge, and in doing so, his world became wider, better, and more interesting. He found a place he loves.
In Charlie’s words, “I like these people because they are not mean cubers. Everyone is so kind.”
And he’s right. Even though cubing is very much a competition, these cubers are incredibly supportive of each other. They constantly congratulate one another and get excited about impressive times. And they never brag, boast, or even fist pump when they manage an impressively fast solve. They are almost business-like in their approach, which lends an air of camaraderie and fellowship to the event.
The demographics are also surprising. Of the 87 competitors on Saturday, only a tiny handful were girls. Their ages ranged from elementary school through high school, plus one or two adults who were also competing. Most competitors had timing mats and carried cases of many puzzles —including Charlie— and some also had Go-Pro cameras to record their solves and laptops to track their data.
Most competitors were accompanied by an adult, and though almost every competitor was male, a large proportion of the adults were female. The most common pairing by far was a mother accompanying a son.
Some adults sat in corners and at tables, reading books and scrolling on phones until their child competed, but others acted as coaches for their children, spending the day helping to track data and strategize.
Between rounds, when I wasn’t watching Charlie compete and shooting photos and video, I spent my time writing, preparing workshops and video scripts, sending email and video feedback to clients, and speaking to the occasional parent willing to chat with me.
Most were surprisingly less than social.
I would’ve happily spent the day chatting with Charlie, but when he isn’t competing, he prefers to serve as judge and runner, helping to move the competition along and keeping busy.
His voice is heard more than almost any other in the room as he runs solved puzzles back and forth between scramblers and competitors.
I told Charlie how proud I was of his performance at the competition, but I told him that I was even more proud of the way he’s added to his life through this pursuit, expanded his world, and made life more interesting for him and even me. In speaking to the parents of cubers, it turns out that Charlie is a bit of an anomaly at these events:
Most cubers are cubers. Solving puzzles is their one and only passion.
Charlie is a committed cuber, but he’s also a Little League ballplayer. A Scout. A guitarist. A trumpet player in several school groups. A member of the school’s choir. A lover of board games. A Minecraft builder. A VR enthusiast. A member of the chess and D&D clubs. A golfer.
He’s currently teaching himself to play the piano. Somehow, he can already play Styx songs and many other recognizable tunes absent any formal instruction.
Charlie is constantly expanding his life. Adding more to his life whenever possible. If he committed himself to cubing alone, he would almost certainly solve puzzles faster. He’d likely be competing in the second round of competitions. And though I suspect that faster times and second rounds are in his future, so too are music, sports, and games of every kind.
He’s expanding his life. Seeking to fill it with as much diversity as possible. Always looking for the next great thing.
That, I think, is a great thing. Maybe his best thing. Something that can inspire us all.
