Children today have more toys than children in previous generations. But they are not more playful! In his book “Play-full Life: Slowing Down and Seeking Peace,” author Jaco Hamman describes the barriers to a playful life and also the spiritual benefits of becoming play-full in the whole of our lives, not just in brief snippets of recreation. I heard Professor Hamman speak at a clergy conference in January where he addressed balancing the four P’s of life: Profession, Parenthood, Partnering and Personhood. Many of us invest enormous energy into our professions and seek to become stellar parents, but our marriage may get short shrift, and it may seem like nothing is left over for attending to our own personhood. Is there a way for us to become more playful?
One of my most cherished memories of childhood is playing some sort of game with my Dad every day. For years, it was ping-pong. Then bumper pool. Every day! Some days we added in tennis, water skiing, the swimming pool, and bike rides in the park. Not once did I think to myself, “Dad is trying to bond with me.” Playing games with Dad was so woven into the fabric of our family life that it just felt like pure joy.
Play is not just for children. Hamman writes, “Becoming play-full is more than just a way of living; it is also a way of believing and knowing God.” This summer brings new opportunities to discover delight and joy in God’s creation. Whether it’s a stroll in the rose garden at Loose Park, a hike across a Colorado mountain, an afternoon at the neighborhood pool, or 45 minutes of worship on the front lawn of the church, play is an invitation to savor the goodness of life. Or as Hammon puts it, “To be play-full is to imaginatively and creatively engage oneself, others, God, and all of reality so that peace and justice reign within us and with others, and in every conceivable situation we might find ourselves in.”
Grace and Peace,
Carla
