Our boys are 7 and 10, so we still play plenty of board games at our house.

There’s very little I enjoy about board games because so much of what happens is decided by chance (not to mention all the crying when someone loses). My life is filled with enough things I can’t control – why in the world would I want to spend an hour of my day at the mercy of some dice and Community Chest cards?

At the risk of beating this metaphor to death, it feels as if the majority of my year has been one long, tedious board game, with my fate in the hands of a goofy bald man wearing a top hat. But every once in a while, I roll doubles, which (in almost all games) means I get to roll again – a second chance at improving my spot on the board.

Last month, I turned 44 – double fours – and I decided this is the year I roll again. I don’t know yet what that means, but I like the idea of a second chance. Anything is possible at this point. Potential abounds. So, come on, baby, mama needs a new pair of shoes!