Card decks have never been far out of reach, and it’s been that way for as long as I can possibly remember.

As a younger child, I had a Large Print Bicycle Deck stashed among a collection of Lego’s and action figures; I remember also having a novelty deck that was just smaller than  a match-box – and of course, your Standard Bicycle Deck.

With this, I had an accompanying Magic Book that I can no longer remember the title of, that taught me to peel a banana with a needle-and-thread, or hold up a cane as though it were dangling in thin air together with a few classic card tricks.

When younger, the card decks would mostly be applied to simple games of Snap and Go Fish. Occasionally, I’d attempt to build a house of cards from it after shutting all the windows, but never got as far as I liked.

I forgot about card decks for a while: Puberty beckoned, and I stashed them at the bottom of a drawer while Guitar became the obsession. But once I’d hit age 15, cards had made their way back into my life with the purchase of a tarot deck.

Not long after, I was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome – a connective tissue disorder that we know today makes up part of the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome spectrum.

The initial news was devastating; I’d suspected there was something physically wrong with me for a while, but the diagnosis gave it a name and some actual power.

Owing to a severe spinal curve, the doctor recommended that I wear a hard-shell back brace. I felt like a turtle, the brace was hot, uncomfortable and had to be worn for 23-hours out of a 24-day. My first thought as a vulnerable teenager was, “How am I ever going to get laid with this thing on?”

The original devastation wore off, but I soon realized that depression was its own medical condition that went hand-in-hand with the rest: Some days were fine, other days would feel like crushing devastation when the sun came down.

Writing and guitar became a worthy distraction: When the weight gets too heavy, write something, play something, it helps. Years later, I’d give up guitar in lieu of writing professionally. Overall, I’d call it a good career switch. (“Folks Magazine: Spider Hands”)

But other than the guitar and few tarot decks I’d kept in the back of the drawer, from age 15 the traditional deck of cards were back in my life with full swing.

I discovered the wonder of websites where you could play a quick game of cards – on the nights where I felt like talking and the nights where I didn’t. I roped in a few friends for games of poker, snap, bridge and blackjack. And I’d use card decks, real and electronic, to drag me through the darkness of depression until the sun came up again.

Today, I can directly thank the influence of card decks for getting me through – and it’s one of the number one reasons why I continue to dedicate my time to promoting the playing of more card and board games. I know how much it can help.