Think about the phrase, “How about I…?”
I watch our elementary school-age children play make-believe. They have such fun, even when they disagree. The answer to a dispute is, “How about I…?” The other follows up with, “Okay, how about I…”
The play time often looks like this:
Daughter 1 to Daughter 2 playing make-believe: “You’re the mom?”
Daughter 2 doesn’t like this. Instead of no, the response is: “How about I be the older sister and I’m in high school.”
Daughter 1: “And, how about I am her best friend and we’re next-door neighbors.”
Daughter 2: “And, how about we are going to a birthday party on a lake?”
And, on it goes. I watch them playing seamlessly. They are happy. They are not phased when things change. Change fuels their creativity. I didn’t interrupt to ask if they felt joy, but you could tell they were happy.
What does play look like for adult?
Tonight, after the girls went to bed, we were playing cards. It was fun. There was laughter, happiness, and a moment of joy. I remember the lighting and style of the background music. It felt as if everyone was where they were supposed to be at that moment.
These identifiable joy moments are almost surreal. I’m watching and recognizing a moment of joy. In real time, pure joy is tangible. While I participate in what is going around, be it dinner or a game, I view the event as a visitor, as I recognize the emotion and catalog the joy. This is beyond the happy feelings and enjoyment I am having from my everyday life.
As I watched and participated in play today, it struck me that we all need more play in our lives. As an adult, it’s easy to go through the day without play. Work, cleaning, making food, and the list goes on.
I need to make sure play is a deliberate part of my life. What about you? What do you do for play?