Take Time To Play



I looked at Ella's desk calendar today and learned an important lesson. I'm always amazed at what kids can teach us.

 

 

 

On Thursday October 3rd she wrote "Work, work, work!" I remember this day well. She was very grumpy because I had reminded her of all the things that she had not yet finished that week: chores, Ukrainian homework, piano practice, etc. Because she had to catch up on some things we were not able to play with the neighborhood kids that day. I remember her stomping around, whining, making a scene. I gave her a lecture about responsibility and getting things done. I basically said just DO it and stop complaining about it.

 

Today I noticed something else. On October 12th she wrote "play". That's it, just that one word, "play". What a concept! How great would it be to draw a line through a whole day on your calendar and just write "PLAY" in big letters? I would love to have a day just to play.

 

Then I realized that she wasn't referring to "playing", but that she and her friends were going to put on a play that day that they had been working on. For one reason or another, we didn't do the play that day. We were probably too busy.

 

We always seem to be too busy. A patient of mine said this to me today: "Take the time to enjoy your life. It goes too fast." She's right. It does go fast. There's never enough time to play.

 

Maybe once a month we should block out a day on the calendar and write "Play" on it. We should then vow not to write anything else on that day, no matter what comes up. There's always time for work, school, sports and other activities - so why shouldn't there be time to play?

 

We stop using the word play so early in life. I've noticed that my son tends to say that he's going to "hang out" with his friends. I guess when you're in middle school you feel silly using the word play. But I think that play is a great word. It means having fun without planning it out. It means holding onto that youthful joy for living that slowly gets chipped away the more responsibilities we assume in our lives.

 

I can't wait to play. I just need to find the time.