Ep 120 Cultivating Playfulness

 “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” ~ Albert Einstein

In the art of living a full and beautiful, meaningful life, there is an element we don’t talk about nearly enough, or put appropriate value on, or even attribute to personal growth, and dare I say, “Success”.  And that is, the art of “Playfulness”.

We see it in the natural world all around us — puppies and kittens, calves and goat kids, otters, beavers, dolphins, and children on the playground at recess, running and jumping, skipping and laughing — carefree and jubilant.

I hear it every morning; our dogs begin each day with a stretch and a shake of their bodies, collars jingling, sending fur flying in the morning sunlight. They then begin mouthing each other’s necks and ears and muzzles, growling, barking playfully, whining and making the strangest guttural grunts and groans; expressions of happy play.

The horses in the pasture will suddenly transition from gently nuzzling each other’s withers and manes to nodding and bobbing their heads, raising their tails, shaking their manes, and rearing up as if on the battlefield, bearing a fully armored knight in combat, then finally breaking into a wild gallop, charging around the field, hooves thundering, sending clumps of grass, mud, rocks and dust flying everywhere.  It is truly a wondrous sight to behold!

Here in the Rockies I have seen full-grown Elk and Moose splashing and jumping in puddles and lakes in the most carefree and playful manor you could ever imagine.

Melissa can rarely sit on the couch to write or journal, without out Pippin, our orange tabby, wanting to snuggle and snatch and grasp her pen as it moves across the page.  The urge to play is just too strong.

Yesterday, while helping our daughter set up her new six-foot high cat tower for her kitten Zooey, we witnessed a hilarious and expressive display of playfulness.  No sooner had the parts been taken out of the box and the first of four levels partially assembled, when she went absolutely bonkers, scrambling up, over, in and around every corner and level she could find, only to be distracted by the dancing reflection on the wall and ceiling created by a cell phone being used to capture her antics on camera.

But playfulness isn’t only for kittens and puppies and children.

I am so blessed and grateful to be surrounded by friends and family who understand the value and importance of light-hearted playfulness.  Both of my grandfathers, my Dad, Uncles and Aunt, my wife, and numerous friends all have shared a loving spirit of playfulness as a serious part of life.  Synonyms for playfulness could include friskiness, high-spirited, and good-natured.

I have a writer friend who, at least once a week, will reach out and send me an amusing and witty, playful text just for fun, as a way of staying in touch and making my day.  He will say things like –

“My kids said they want a cat for Christmas… generally I fix a turkey, but whatever makes them happy.”

Or this one –

“My dog ate a bunch of Scrabble squares. We had to take him to the vet. They said they think he will be okay, but no word yet.”

But back to Nature…

I think one of the most fascinating displays of playfulness I have ever witnessed in the wild was on a mountaintop.

A hiking buddy and I had just summitted Lily Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. Standing at 9,786 feet above sea level, we could feel a steady wind picking up. Looking west we gazed at a magnificent panorama of some of the other, higher peaks in the park, including Taylor, Otis, and Hallett Peak. Suddenly, the dark shadow of a very large bird soared effortlessly, not far overhead, breaking the intermittent song of the wind.  He literally just zoomed us, only a few yards over our heads. It was a Raven, broad-winged and black. Then, there appeared more of them hundreds of feet out, almost at eye level; maybe half a dozen or so just riding the wind and looking so magnificent.

We noticed one of them carrying something in its talon. It turned out to be an icicle, three or four inches long. Without warning, one of the other ravens swooped down, trying steal the prize! Soon the others joined in, displaying unbelievable aerial skills, performing acrobatics akin to those of falcons and hawks.  They brought to mind a scene from the movie Top Gun, like fighter pilots showing off and putting on an amazing demonstration of speed, accuracy, and skill. It was incredible! We stood there, jaws opened, fascinated and amazed!

A few minutes later, the show moved on to another mountaintop, and we smiled in gratitude. I could have watched this marvelous game all day long.

Notice that playfulness nearly always seems to be accompanied by movement of some kind. It’s as if the body wants to join in with the fun of the mind and soul.

Play not only adds pleasure and joy to our lives, but it is beneficial in relieving stress, improving creativity, increasing productivity, super-charging your learning, and even helps connect you with others and the world around you. It is said that “Playfulness is the key to adaption and evolution”.

We can easily surmise that Jesus had a light-hearted playful spirit by the fact that He loved children and they loved Him.  So much so that as He was surrounded by them, his disciples tried to send them way and keep them from bothering him, so that He could be attending to more “important” things.  He told them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”  (Matthew 19:14)

(Blessed are the playful, for they shall be light-hearted…) and “a cheerful heart is good medicine. But a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” (Proverbs 17:22)  Just one of the many benefits of playfulness.

We fail to remember and place enough emphasis on the importance of imaginative play, recreation and hobbies in successful, healthy and dynamic living. It helps us “outcompete” worry and anxiety with curiosity and passion.

In today’s complex, chaotic and competitive world, there is a desperate need for healthy diversions, hobbies and recreational activities.  All of the great leaders, teachers, philosophers and thinkers knew this.

Socrates found joy in playing with children.

Winston Churchill enjoyed painting, reading, bird-watching and bricklaying.

His predecessor, William Gladstone, prime minister of England, enjoyed chopping down dead and dying trees, and planting new ones in their place. The process was so consuming to him, he had no time to think of anything but where the next stroke of his ax would fall.

For Albert Einstein it was playing his violin.

St. Teresa of Avila had a passion for dancing.

And for Fred Rogers, you know, Mr. Rogers of the “beautiful day in the neighborhood”, it was swimming.

So what is your playful pastime and leisure? What do you enjoy doing for recreation?

In today’s meditation, we want to open our hearts, minds and souls to the light-hearted spirit of recreation and play, and explore how we can incorporate a habit of playfulness.

MEDITATION

So when you’re ready…

Invite the spirit of Playfulness into your entire being…your world…your life…

Be free to explore and question your sensory world. What are your earliest childhood memories of play?

What were some of your favorite childhood stories? What elements of creativity, imagination and playfulness did they evoke?

Where have you felt the most playful and alive? Maybe it’s the swimming pool or favorite swimming hole. Maybe it’s the mountains. Perhaps it is Disney World or a favorite theme park.

What is one thing you can do today, this very day to incorporate play, leisure, and a light-hearted spirit into your day and improve the quality of your life?

Now, just imagine it and play there…