Go Jump in a Puddle
A friend and I were remarking on Saturday how people have been in a funk in Hartsville lately; from the workplace to the church, the off time to the busy, there have been a disproportionate ratio of frowns to smiles.
Was it the lack of rain? Was it the persistent warm summer weather when folks just needed some “fall”, and get to wear their sweaters? Or perhaps it’s just that we have forgotten how to play.
“Play is the highest form of research.”, said Albert Einstein, who attributed much of his success for looking at the world like a child. Inventors and creative people have often employed the use of play to spark their creativity, because forcing the muse just doesn’t work. The old cliché of “the idea came to me in the shower” is so true, and why taking a break and vacation is what overworked people need to clear their head and recharge their batteries. Most European countries encourage long vacations for working adults. But, of course, it's a matter of choice. We can choose to take off some time, to play, but we sometimes don't allow ourselves that luxury.
We have read studies that stress the importance of play for children, but are we forgetting that we as adults need to do the same? And no, I am not promoting play by getting inebriated; in fact, that may be the worst way to do so. I am promoting play in it’s simplest form, allowing yourself to be like a child, set your worries aside and just play.
Last night at our annual Halloweenies & Beanies Family Night Supper, I witnessed something glorious; men and women of all ages.. some even into their upper 80’...play. Some had come in costume, which was funny in itself.. but when I brought out a bag of Halloween silly toys such as squishy, awful feeling “eyeballs”, fluid-filled squishy spiders, light up bugs, etc., it was like being in an elementary school classroom! The room got loud, folks were tossing toys across the room to each other, putting “eyeballs” up to their own eyes, generally just laughing and having a fantastic time. Gerald and Catherine Pate, both in their 70’s, donned their former square dancing outfits and delighted the party...with Catherine swishing her crinolines like she was in her 20’s all over again! Steve Ford of Kalmia Gardens and our Pastor Terry Martin unwittingly dressed like twins in overalls, straw hat and country shirts- Pastor Terry added some “Bubba teeth” for even more guffaws.
Through laughter, through play, we can shed the stress of our jobs, our family struggles, and the sadness of the nightly news. We all need this. Laughing makes us healthy, and play keeps us feeling alive no matter what our age.
GENESIS 21:6
And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will
laugh with me.
Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.
-- Diane Ackerman
Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.
-- Abraham Maslow
Ecclesiastes 3: 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.
-- Joseph Chilton Pearce
Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent, and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play.
-- Henri Matisse
Great
AMEN!
SS
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