In a world where life is ever more difficult, where we are
constantly bombarded with unwelcome news, where the future seems ever more
worrisome, we can become unbearably weary.
We can become so burdened by the mundane, and the seemingly inevitable
despair of the world that our passion, our joy, our optimism and our pleasure seem
increasingly beyond our reach.
This is not the way I wish to live.
In circumstances like these, Play becomes
absolutely necessary. We need to
remember how to be hopeful, how to have fun, how to laugh.
Once a week I gather with some friends to Play. I pretend to be someone else. I spend an evening doing ridiculous things
and together we create a story. A wild,
impossible and gloriously outrageous story. I get to learn new skills, and to practice
things that make me uncomfortable, like conflict, in a safe place with
friends. I get to practice communicating
more clearly, and facing conflict, and being bold, and even vent stress and
anger in healthy, playful ways. I get to
say, “bite me” to people who will not be hurt by those words. And I get to laugh, a lot.
Play and laughter are just as important for adults as they
are for children, perhaps even more so. We need
play, and laughter, and fun, to remain strong and healthy and to renew our spirits
in a world that is filled with sadness and despair. Laughter and play are the antidote to the
toxicity and weariness of challenging times.
Life is good. The Sun
still shines, as do the Moon and the Stars.
Find Joy, find Pleasure, find Laughter.
Play!
