5th of March

“We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

- George Bernard Shaw

I do believe he's onto something, here. 

I have been thinking about playing quite a lot lately, mostly because I have a four year old running around at dizzying speeds. It makes me think back to when I was that age and a little older, and how I played with my parents vs. how I played with my friends. Obviously those two modes are going to be different - as they should be. My parents played with me, but mostly board games, or mental games. Which was great; I still am a big fan of a pretty wide range of board games, crossword puzzles, and other such fun. Good stuff. My parents were not the roll-around-on-the-ground or wrestle types... just wasn't their thing. Which was not a problem of any kind, I did that stuff with my friends. All good. 

I am maybe a little younger now as a dad with a 4 year old, than my parents were when I was that age.... but I feel waaay younger than they were. Part of this, of course, is memory, and how our view of our parents tends to be heavily filtered by what we think to be true as children. But I think part of this, is that, for whatever reason, I am right in there on pretty much any kind of play. Love it. Some would no doubt point to it as simply my being immature. They my have something, there. But, I maintain that a part of me is kept youthful, because I play a lot. My parents just seemed old to me... a big part of that was that they seemed to get more and more physically rigid as I grew older... that might be somewhat accurate, physically, but the other part was that they stopped playing, at least in some ways... this made them just seem older, seem more rigid. 

Please understand that I am not taking my parents to task, here. Loved them, had a blast with them, wouldn't change my childhood. But, I do think I will take Mr. Shaw's observation to heart, and make sure that I play actively, until I physically cannot handle it... Sometimes I have to remind myself to make play a priority over some dumbass chore... Have to be an adult, of course, but I don't have to be an adult to the exclusion of all the wonderful things that children do and are. No matter what your endeavors are, you have to have some fun. It is almost as necessary as air itself. 

Say yes to playing as often as you can. Be a little silly. Romp around, some. 

the Keeper (word to think about/keep with me for a bit): 

"Play” - v. 1.) engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose. 

I hope to keep playing, and in the process, have a boatload of fun, stay limber (both physically and mentally), and have some more fun.