“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw

Whenever I change my environment, I always return home to a revelation about my life. Now that I’ve readjusted to being in New York after visiting with friends in Mykonos (Greece), I realize that I’ve had another epiphany.

We don’t prioritize playtime.

While away, I had time to have fun in the sand with several of my besties. It didn’t matter that the Aegean winds of up to 35 mph seriously messed with our patience, hair and clothing. 

With absolutely no structure to our days, my playmates and I gave in to the untamable winds and walked, did cartwheels, and danced on the beach. Playing felt fantastic – we giggled like children!

Play is a creative act. It releases endorphins, the body’s natural “happy” chemicals responsible for making us feel joy. 

My social time in Manhattan is often made up of commitments that involve structure – things like meeting friends for meals, drinks, movies, concerts, and lectures. Due to everyone’s career and family responsibilities, there is very little unstructured playtime. 

When I was in grade school, my neighborhood pals – Steven, Frank, and Joe – and I would meet each morning during summer break. The first thing we did was determine what game we would play that day. 

After a group consensus, we would begin a game of hide-and-seek, spies, or Batman. Using our imaginations, we played out these games for many hours. And we giggled – a lot. 

Our capitalistic society values productivity. Unlike childhood play, which is respected, adult play is generally perceived as unproductive unless it is competitive. Therefore, adult play tends to be dismissed. 

You can’t place a value on joy. 

That’s all from me today. I take my revelations seriously. I’m heading out to meet a friend in one of the best playgrounds in the world. 😉

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