I believe we would all benefit
greatly from injecting a spirit of play into our daily endeavours, which is to
say, from not taking ourselves, and our lives, quite so seriously.
For example, remember when
you were a kid, the way it felt to sit down and use your crayons or watercolour
paints?
As I recall there was no real objective than to sit and have a good time playing with line, colour, shape and the expression of whatever energy I was in possession of at the time.
Are we not learning from and being educated by these activities? What about climbing trees? Catching frogs? Cherry fights in the orchard?
As I recall there was no real objective than to sit and have a good time playing with line, colour, shape and the expression of whatever energy I was in possession of at the time.
Are we not learning from and being educated by these activities? What about climbing trees? Catching frogs? Cherry fights in the orchard?
I think as adults we
mistakenly equate leaving this rather more weightless approach behind with what
it means to mature.
Living a life freighted with work (much of which is optional ‘busy work’) is considered laudable and the more the better, for this is by extension equated with the notion that we/our lives, are consequential and important in direct proportion to the number of these encumbrances. Seriously?!
Living a life freighted with work (much of which is optional ‘busy work’) is considered laudable and the more the better, for this is by extension equated with the notion that we/our lives, are consequential and important in direct proportion to the number of these encumbrances. Seriously?!
True maturity is marked by
the ability to take personal responsibility for shaping one’s life in ways that
edify and augment wellbeing
(including, especially, the ability to love—to form and sustain intimate
relationships).
Over burdening ourselves, whatever the rationale, is something we need to be deeply skeptical about. Self-respect practically demands it.
Over burdening ourselves, whatever the rationale, is something we need to be deeply skeptical about. Self-respect practically demands it.
Approaching one’s life more
in the spirit of play necessitates taking inventory of our values. Is love a
value? Happiness? Joy? Equanimity? Passion? Pleasure? Contentment?
None of these thrive in the oppressive environment of an overburdened life.
None of these thrive in the oppressive environment of an overburdened life.
We will always need to take
on responsibility for feeding, clothing and sheltering ourselves, but there
remains the freedom of choosing from a tremendous variety of options when it
comes to getting this job done. It exists as a creative opportunity.
We get to design our life, which has every possibility of being a joyful, interesting and edifying experience. The rest is optional.
We get to design our life, which has every possibility of being a joyful, interesting and edifying experience. The rest is optional.
Think about it …
Then go outside and play!
