I find this image so comforting. A warm, inviting toy shop full of toys waiting to be played with. A large play area where many toys can be arranged and re-arranged as the story of the play changes with imagination and wonder. Immerse yourself into this situation, perhaps there is snow falling outside, and a warm roaring fire in here, as the whole shop is made of unending shelves and baskets of curious mysterious toys, waiting to be discovered. Take a closer look, which toy would you examine first, which one next?
Now imagine, every morning when you wake up you enter this toy shop, it feels familiar, safe and very inviting. Some toys you have played with before, these evoke joy and excitement, while some toys are new and may seem daunting. Step into this space and slowly start to examine what has been placed here on the shelves today, which toys you want to pull onto the rug and start playing with, which ones you will pull down next or at the same time. Soon you have many toys around you that you engage with, some old, some new, each adding to the feeling of joy and playfulness.
You notice there are other humans here playing with the toys, many want to play on their own, some will want to join you in your imaginative game, collaborate and happily play together. Some others will stop by only to take the toys you have, without collaboration or sharing.
As adult humans we indulge in very little play. I recently read a quote by anthropologist Margaret Mead– “It is utterly false and cruelly arbitrary to put all the play and learning into childhood, all the work and burden of responsibility into middle age, and all the regrets into old age“.
To Play is all we are here for in this life, in this human form, in this incarnation. Life brings us situations (toy shop and toys), material things (toys) and people to engage with (playmates) all the time. These change at varied paces. Rather than becoming attached, identified, afraid and judgmental of these, what if we chose to enter the toyshop with curiosity, acceptance, courage, humor, kindness and love. With the capacity to let go of what was and embrace what is.
What if we entered every situation, (be it school/education, a new job, a new relationship, a changing friendship, an argument, a new city, exotic food, a creative project, a whole new perspective), as if entering an abundant never ending toy shop, the ultimate goal is to have a joyful play time. When we encounter new toys or uncompromising playmates, we hold our heavy emotions and human-ness in compassion and simply collaborate to engage in play either together, or by ourselves.
Playing many times with one single toy or with several strew across the field of imagination. So long as we bring the mindset of Playfulness, no matter the combination, at the end of the day it will have been an experience of joyfulness.
And, just in case today didn’t feel fulfilling or complete, a good reminder is that we will be back here tomorrow, to start off where we stopped, or to explore a whole new section of unchartered toys and playmates.
Thoughts? comments? Can you relate?