When I do something so often that it becomes routine is when I need to play. We can get too efficient with age. We work out a system that doesn’t waste time or energy and use that for years. We use the same tools, the same techniques and the same organization and disengage our thoughts from the moment we are experiencing instead of being involved in what we’re doing. But when we’re present we might see small joys that we have forgotten. How long has it been since we stopped and made bubbles with the bottle of dish soap? We probably overlooked just how pretty glassware can be as it sparkles in the sunshine. There is a whole world of rediscoveries that we have bypassed because we were working.

Play is necessary to keep our minds working and the creativity flowing. Years ago I had a job where, on occasion, I had to set up samples of sliced ham and cheese. The requirements were that the ham and cheese had to be served together in a bite-sized sample secured with a toothpick. Of course the cheese was a sliced cheddar that did not bend well and the client suggested rolling them up together. Oh my goodness, it didn’t take long for the boredom to set in and I had nearly 6 hours of this for the day. I began to play out of sheer necessity. By the end of the day, I was constructing close to 2″, or 5 cm, thick slabs of layered cheddar and ham. I would create a grid of toothpicks aligned like button tufting through the slab and then cut out the diamond-shaped pattern of stacks from around the toothpicks. It kept me engaged, and it allowed me to ignore that I was standing in the chilly refrigerated aisles of a Costco in the middle of a Chicago winter.

Playtime isn’t something that I have. I probably should for my own health but since I don’t have a designated time I play throughout my day. I am not making samples anymore. No one requires me to do anything in any specific way so there are dance breaks when one of my favorite songs comes on and they’re often accompanied by my singing in terrible Korean or Japanese ( Thank goodness I’ve got English down pretty good at this point). All timers are set a few minutes early for flexibility. In summertime, the outdoor flock brings me playtime on their time. They show up when I am hand watering and push their way in for showers. There is a lot to smile about when 20 or 30 pigeons roll up and lift wings to get cold water showers in 100F (37.7 C) weather. Play for me is releasing the need to control everything and letting joy happen whenever and however it shows up.

If I waited for playtime, I would never play. This is something I learned decades ago. We have to spend our time in play more than we spend our time in work. Although there are people in this world that seem to believe a smile on someone’s face means that they aren’t serious about their work. I have found that I need to distance myself from people with that belief system as much as possible. We may not be here tomorrow. The work will be here tomorrow even if we’re not. If we can’t get all the work done, and we can’t, then it might be wise to play as we work.

“Mae’r holl waith a dim chwarae yn gwneud Jack yn fachgen diflas” – James Howell