Why Play Matters: Losing the Grind, Finding the Game

Photo by Limor Zellermayer on Unsplash

I sat comfortably on my balcony, watching the beach in the early morning. I saw three small boys about five years old running wildly on the sand chasing seagulls. They screamed as they ran, never really getting close to the birds, who calmly flew away and landed nearby. The boys were full of life. So excited about the day ahead. They were playing. I felt myself smile.

Jesus challenged us to become like little children. And I think of those small boys running exuberantly. As we move into our adult years, too many of us lose something precious. Our zest for life, the exuberance and joy we had as little children, slowly disappears.

I can be way too serious. In my efforts to lead an intentional, purposeful life, I too easily miss out on the spontaneous adventure life was meant to be. I need Jesus' encouragement to become like children. I need to run. I need to laugh uncontrollably. I need to let myself cry. I need to get excited about this wonderful life God has given me. I need to become like a child.

How about you? When do you play? This is a different question than asking when you relax or rest. Play is a unique activity. Play is fun. Play naturally brings a smile to our faces. Play is usually pointless, though sometimes competition can be playful. Though play is active, it energizes and refreshes us.

Because play seems pointless, I tend to make it such a low priority that I neglect it. Stuart Brown, author of the fantastic book Play, notes, "Though we have been taught that play and work are each other's enemy, what I have found is that neither one can thrive without the other" (Play, p.126). Brown goes on to note that play gives perspective to our work. Play increases our creative capacity. "Play is the mother of innovation" (p.134). Play enhances relationships. I find that play resets perspective. Apart from play, I easily begin to think that the world revolves around my productivity and contribution. When I allow myself to go out and have fun, I realize that life will go on if I take a few hours or a few days to have a good time. Inevitably, the happiness that comes with the fun makes me much more productive when I return to work.

Many people who read these words are far ahead of me in balancing work and play. If perhaps you are more like me, with your motor always revving, take a moment to step back. Think of ways to add fun into your days, your weeks, and your months. As we head into summer, now is the perfect time to make sure you get outside, breathe the fresh air, laugh, and burn off a little steam. The world will not end just because we took a break.