Rediscovering Play!
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to just be. Take a couple deep breaths, grab yourself a cup of coffee, light a candle, do something that brings you comfort. Allow yourself to be present in this moment.
Sometimes, the simplest act of play is the most powerful way to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us.
Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.
– Lauren Bacall
Life is more fun if you play games.
– Roald Dahl
Matthew 18:3
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Food for Thought
A few weeks ago, I visited the incredible Georgia Aquarium. If you ever get a chance to go, do it! I walked through glass underwater tunnels and watched, awe-struck, as a whale shark and manta rays swam above me; I cheered and clapped for acrobatic dolphins and their trainers during the Dolphin Coast show; I plotted how to sneak one of the adorable sea otters home with me (and where to get a tub big enough to house it).
One other memory that stands out are the few minutes I stopped to watch a beluga whale play with a harbor seal. It was so sweet and innocent. They were just spending their day chasing each other through the icy water. Watching them gave me such peace, and it struck me how integral “play” is to all living things!
For children and adults alike, play can foster relational and self development, encourage healthy habits and creativity, and improve mental health and decision-making skills among many other benefits. Yet, our society – a lot of societies, I imagine – tends to not value the act of “play” past the age of maybe ten. We have managed to turn even activities that are, at their core, playing – sports, entertainment – into industries with unattainable standards and unhealthy pressures.
I remember, as a kid, pretending with my sisters and cousins, or climbing trees and playing in the woods behind our house. I remember allowing myself to get completely lost in my imagination, or scraping my knee on a limb and barely noticing, seeing the blood and dirt on my clothes as a badge of honor – evidence of the time well spent and the commitment to living in the moment. There were no insecurities, no worries about whether or not I looked cool riding my bike, or concerns about how my next idea to build my imaginary world would be perceived. I was simply having fun!
But like most things that go unused, my ability to play, just for the sake of play, has gotten rusty over the years – giving way to working too much and too hard, or to the deep fear that (God forbid) I would look foolish.
Recently, I started taking improv classes – something I’ve been curious about for years, but have been too scared to pursue. When I first started, I was absolutely terrified! I would walk into every class tense and sweating, already internally resisting whatever my teacher was going to make us do. The inner dialogue was so strong! “Oh no, what are we gonna have to do this time? What if I’m not funny? I’m gonna look so silly!”
At the school I attend, the first couple levels emphasized the importance of getting up and simply allowing yourself to play. While respecting the “rules” and guidelines of improv, my teachers made it a point to remove as much pressure from the activity as possible, encouraging us to embrace failure – when someone made a “mistake” or messed up, we would even cheer! It was hilarious, and joyful!
And slowly, over the course of the class, with my teacher’s encouragement to take risks and play full-out, and watching my brave classmates commit to being silly and ridiculous, I found it easier and easier to do the same. And remarkably and refreshingly, I rediscovered the ability to just…play!
I recently heard one improv teacher state, “Play is the highest form of self-care.” I couldn’t agree more!
Jesus said, “This is the truth: unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” What if by “become like little children”, he meant for us to return to the openness and playfulness of a child – the wide-eyed belief that anything is possible? The ability to set pride aside, worries aside, pressures aside, so that we can create, or imagine, or simply breathe in the fresh air while perched on the branch of a tree.
What if, in this season and in our lives, we allow ourselves to rediscover how to play – just for the sake of loosening up, shaking off the stress, feeling our blood pump, laughing until we can’t breathe, running as fast as we can, and getting dirt on our clothes and grass in our hair. How different this world might be!
Host a game night at home or out with friends. Maybe you could choose an activity that requires spontaneous, silly activities like charades, or improvisational storytelling. This is an opportunity for everyone to laugh, be creative, and enjoy each other's company without the stress of perfection.
If that feels a little too overwhelming, maybe attend an improv show. Allow yourself to embrace the fun, let go of any pressure or judgment, and reconnect with that childlike spirit of play.
For a printable version of today's reflection Click Here!
Blessing
God of creativity and wonder,
of new things and child-like hope,
Help us to find the joy you seek for us, the wonder you imagine for us,
and give us the spirit to enact a new way of living through each day – playfully – with the courage to be all you have called us to be.
Amen.
A little Table Talk for your table...
How can embracing play, as both a form of self-care and creativity, help reduce the pressures and stress we face in adulthood?
In what ways do societal expectations around work, productivity, and success hinder our ability to enjoy simple moments of play and imagination?
How can we create spaces or opportunities in our communities or homes that encourage people of all ages to rediscover the joy and freedom of play?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
Ask your kiddos how playing with friends or by themselves makes them feel more happy and less stressed.
Have your kids write down their favorite way to play and to draw a picture of how it makes them feel.
Make a list together of some fun games or activities they could play with their family or friends that help everyone feel happy and silly.
Meet This WEek’s Writer...
June Dare Bunce is a native North Carolinian and one of the founders of The Welcome Table. Outside of TWT, she’s been a professional actor for the past sixteen years and has had the honor and pleasure of working as a drama instructor for various organizations and non-profits. When she’s not working on a script or at the office, you can either find her at the gym or on the yoga mat, walking around whatever town she’s living in, or working on the art of relaxing at home (it really is a skill).
To hear more from June throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!