Thoughts on Play

April 11, 2022

Growing up, my childhood was full – just being outside, engaging with the environment without a second thought. I played endlessly, tried new things, sprinted everywhere and climbed everything. This started to change in my teens as I grew more self-aware and self-conscious. I still played but the second nature of play was replaced with insecure self-centredness. Leading with my body shifted into priotizing the thoughts in my brain first. Often those thoughts would stop me.

Moving into my mid-30’s, I feel a shift toward leading with my body once again. It’s really different from when I was a kid, but there is a way ageing can liberate from those brain thoughts because laugh lines and grey hairs remind me life is not in my control; and mortality and finite time is this life’s only guarantee. It makes me care a whole lot less about perfection and it is relieving. This makes space to see through a playful lens again.

Life is short. Life is to be felt and experienced. Life is to be touched. What will engaging with curiosity lead to today? Maybe it will show the same picture in a whole different light. Maybe it will touch you to play and move in a whole new way.