Don't Forget to PLAY
Photo credit Michael Conn (unfiltered)
Play can benefit your relationships, job, and mood.
Recently, my family met on the Central Coast of California for Thanksgiving.
In the past, I’ve often requested that we participate in a Turkey Trot - but not this year! Nothing against Turkey Trots, it’s just that I wasn’t getting an enthusiastic response. Imagine that! Running early in the morning on a day that can be typically taken off from work with the opportunity to sleep in. I can hardly understand why?
Anyway, the reception I WAS getting was more in line to how Lucy demands a certain kind of response from Linus.
“I’ll give you 5 good reasons why we’re not running this year ….”
It was just getting too dangerous to make such suggestions.
To my relief, however, my sister Alisa made the request to play Pickleball instead.
Oh my God! This was SO MUCH FUN!
In our hectic, modern lives, many of us focus so heavily on work and family commitments that we never seem to have time for pure fun. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped playing. When we carve out some leisure time, we’re more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children.
But play is not just essential for kids; it can be an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults as well.
Improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy
with others.
Ends up that Pickleball is an ingenious idea! The kids liked it, the adults loved it and everyone got out of the house, off their phones and it turns out that moving your body helps you feel better.
So this got me thinking …
What if I could help disguise yet another activity and make it look like fun?
Hmmm …
Football?
No.
“How About Body Pump?”
Before you say no again, hear me out.
Consider this: a Body Pump instructor who has a side gig as a stand-up comedian?
Sounding better?
Well, that’s what Jackie (sister-in-law) and I got. She was quite funny! This of course made the 60 minutes only seem like, ummm, well like 59 minutes. I mean, it’s still fricken’ difficult Body Pump, but at least we laughed throughout much of it.
Jackie and I found it difficult to lift our glasses of wine later that evening (bicep fatigue), but we managed in the end.
Later that same evening, Michael and I each met up with a friend who is traveling to Mont Blanc this summer and wanted to get a summary of our hike. I just happened to be wearing my shirt the day of our gathering!
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
George Bernard Shaw
Dinner is always yummy when made together.
My favorite thing to do on the Central Coast are evening walks. I love the sunsets.
During these two photos - taken on two separate evenings - I was able to pause and take notice of the beauty of a setting sun.
But what was even more astonishing during these brief moments in time were the folks who gathered around the same bay entrance.
They Stopped.
They Paused their conversations.
They Pulled Over their bikes, scooters and cars.
They Looked Up from their phones
And Watched A Sunset!
Take time to play.
Take time to pause. Take time to be with one another. Look up and Laugh and Love and Lift.
