Reverse Jenga: Stabilizing
Conflict with Dignity
By Jason Craige Harris Perception Strategies
I sat across from my opponent— my cousin— locked on my next move. My palms were damp, my hands unsteady. This play could buy me another round or end the game early. I looked at her, then up at the teetering tower between us. Who knew a game of Jenga could trigger such a strong physical and emotional response?
The goal was simple: remove as many blocks as possible without tipping the tower. Each pull brought collapse closer, but some pieces mattered more than others. Call them anchor blocks— foundational pillars— whose removal would almost certainly bring the whole thing down. Other pieces slid out with little consequence. The difference was discernment. You studied the structure, tested each block with your fingers, and moved only when it yielded. Careful, slow, thoughtful, precise. It was close calculation— radical attunement to the conditions that kept the tower steady despite the strain.
Heart racing, eyes darting, I reached for a block left of center. The tower swayed— but held. No collapse. Not yet.
Page 2 Winter 2025 CSEE Connections