Play, Play, Play

My fourteen year old granddaughter came to visit last week. Every day was a play day. Before her arriving every day was a work day. My husband and I were working to get the house (which still has boxes not yet unpacked) to an organized place that felt welcoming. Our days were one task after the next all in preparation for a week of presence and play.

So, we played. We had massages. We went to the zoo. We pet stingrays, which was surprisingly relaxing. We went horseback riding. We went to a butterfly exhibit where the beautiful flying insects landed on us, chased each other, and posed as we took pictures of them in a jungle like outdoor setting. We went to malls (the playground of 14 year olds). We had our nails done. We bedazzled t-shirts by decorating them with rhinestones. We sun bathed. We swam. We visited five different Mexican restaurants and rated them like were professional eaters. And we giggled. It was fun.

Play is not a luxury. It is a fundamental part of being human, and research suggests that its benefits extend through out lifetime. Neuroscientists and psychologists have found that playful experiences can support creativity, flexible thinking, emotional well-being, and social connection. We become curious again. We experiment, laugh, imagine, and discover possibilities we might otherwise overlook. Play invites us out of habitual patterns of thinking and into a more expansive experience of Life. It reminds us that we are not here merely to accomplish things. We are also here to experience the joy of being alive.

And, why are we on this round ball of life if not to experience aliveness?

This morning in meditation I was talking with Spirit about balance. How out of balance my life has been this year and a few other years in my life. I was reminded that lives of service aren’t balanced (Mother Theresa, Ghandi, MLK, Jr., Martha Stewart, a kindergarten teacher) but the life is one of self expression. When I say my year hasn’t been balanced, I am saying that my year has been about other things than doing what I am here to do and investing my time in self expression. Play brought me closer. It was a good week. I am keeping my promise to myself that I will be done unpacking when the calendar turns its page to 2027. In the meanwhile, I remind myself of how blessed I am as I love myself through this transition.

“Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” C.S. Lewis