Play

I'm visiting a friend who has it all figured out. And for most of our friendship we were both in the corporate sector, which, by it's nature, drove a bit of seriousness in both of us. But she always kept it real, and it was a great example for me to aspire to.

Today, she has more play in her daily life - even her ring tone has an element of fun (a sing-song robot). And I believe this is such a key part of enjoying life: the little things, the attitude we approach each day with, will either keep us young, or make us old.

My parents have always been old. I knew them as a child, who saw all adults (even teenagers) as old. But there's an element of old that I'm only now really starting to be aware of. Seriousness marked my impression of my parents more than anything. A strong sense of duty, of responsibility, of what was proper and appropriate. There was always a heaviness. A sense of burden.

The opposite of playful and carefree.

I want to lighten my days. Explore with curiosity and take some risks. Risks of being silly, of being a little scared, of making a mess. I want to bring more play into my days, and carry a sense of youth into the next half of my life.  My instructors at the yoga studio encourage this all the time, "Smile! If it's perfect, so what? If you're wobbling all over, so what? Enjoy this process and embrace the joy in it.You're all being too serious."

My kids need me to be youthful. It's time to play.