A Playful Spirit

Remember what is was like to ride a carousel? I loved it when I was young. It seems back then, the majority of my days were filled with play.

One of my favorite things about being a mom was that I got to play again. I especially enjoyed the blocks and Lincoln logs and of course the Barbies! We would play for hours on end and no one knew how refreshing it was for me, absolutely invigorating at 35 to 45 years old.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of experiencing NYC with my kids and while I attended my class they had their city adventures. On Monday, we spent the day exploring and seeing parts of the city I had never seen. We ended up at a park and low and behold there was a carousel. My daughter who is a very creative, free spirit and has the ability to savor special moments in life, has a love for carousels and decided to ride it. So she and a little two year old boy rode it together. Of course I took pictures and she posted it later with the caption: “Never to old to play!”

How true that is. Life can be hard and challenging and unpredictable. The power to play, laugh and be silly is very healing and refreshing. We had a day in my class which included “laughter yoga”. It was very freeing and up lifting. I feel the “playtime” in life is vital to my health and I value the people and opportunities that allow for this simple pleasure. Maybe it can be added to my calendar until it becomes a natural part of my daily life, just as it was back in the day of raising young children.

A cheerful heart is good medicine… Proverbs 17:22