Pure Play

Recreation, or play, means to re-create. Ask yourself “what do I do when I play?” Does it strengthen my insides? Is the joy so great that I can experience the beauty of creating and recreating? Play is not business, not obligation, not something that has to be done, not necessarily productive, and not necessarily involved with something “worthwhile.” There are times for these things, but they are not play.
Play is pure joy. My eight-year-old constantly reminds me of what play is. When he runs with delight, he expresses a rare form of joy. When he screams with enthusiasm at the plan to stay overnight at a friend’s house, he expresses the same pure joy. When he races to one end of the living room, slides, leaps up, runs back and slides again, he is playing. Play means to laugh, jump, celebrate, and feel happy. If you don’t look forward to your play, there is no joy in it.
Most people will reply to the question “what do you do for fun?” by listing all the planned activities on their calendar. They are going to go the health club after work, then out to dinner with a friend, then to their daughter’s basketball game, then to the symphony with their friends. These are very important activities, but they aren’t pure play unless you look forward to them because they bring you happy feelings, fill you up with joy, and make you smile. An empty calendar can bring such a feeling. It leaves the door open for your day to flow naturally, playfully.
So how does one begin to play? It helps to turn off the TV and the computer. Get outside. Connect to nature. Experience the beauty of our earth. Look around and feel a part of the joy and wisdom of what you see. Walk, run, move physically. Stop thinking. Start really looking at what you see. Start feeling. Balance heart thoughts with head thoughts. Let out intuition. FLOW. Allow play to emerge. See what comes out to play. Try not to force play. Be spontaneous. Laugh. Open up a new capacity for fun. Let go. Free your own child within. Enjoy the now. Do nothing. Observe the quiet. Just be together. Dance! Try mooing at cows.
The message here is simple: Let go and play! What are some family play ideas that work for you? Can you share them here?