I'm often reminded how fortunate I am to spend each day with my boys. To have the opportunity watching them grow in all facets of their lives without missing a moment is sublime. Each day is full of endless possibilities. We work at school and daily chores; we help in our community; we run errands; but, above all, we play. Life is full of seriousness, drudgery, labor and ado's, but with play, we can continue to smile through those things less enjoyable.
As a child, play is natural. It is how we learn; how we form our ideas; and it sets the stage for our futures. Play can be hands-on, imaginative, physical, spontaneous, deliberate or even contagious. It is the sculptor of our day.
As adolescents and teens, play transforms from a basic need to a hunted desire. A love of baseball or the theatre become our play. We find ourselves more engaged in perfecting it, ensuring our most desired needs are met.
Even when our focus shifts from play to work as adults, our human condition craves it; seeks it out. Play in not absent in adulthood. A gentleman fishing from a pier, a lady painting on canvas and a senior picking flowers while on a walk are all at play. Children are not the only ones privy to its art.
Looking at my boys at play today in their fortress of pines made me question my playfulness. How often do I play in the busyness of life? What activities do I engage in for enjoyment and recreation rather than for a serious or practical purpose?
Play is where life lives.
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