When did you last play? What type of play did you engage in? How did it make you feel?
Generally, when we hear the word play we think of kids and games they play. But as adults we need play too. Can you remember what it was like, playing as a child?
I remember waking up on a warm Summer day in Georgia as a child. Mama would be busy cooking breakfast. Then she would start on the many chores around the house. And having kids inside the house was a distraction for her work. So, we had to go outside and play. We would come back in for lunch (dinner as we called it in the south), but then it was back outside to play. Growing up in the 1970’s it wasn’t a choice to go outside. It was a requirement! “Y’all kids go outside and play and don’t come back in until the street lights come on, Mama would shout!”
And play we did! Sometimes it was riding our bikes all over town. Or, role playing Tarzan or other movie characters or superheroes in the woods or fields near our home. Other times it was simple childhood games of hide n seek or freeze tag etc. We would let our imaginations and creativity provide the backdrops for our play. There were many benefits of our play as kids. We were active and exercising muscles, learning new sports and being part of a team, exercising our creative muscles and exploring new experiences in nature. And when the street lights came on we went inside to wash up for supper, getting a good night’s rest after a busy day of play. The next day would start all over with play.
But one day when the street lights came on and we came inside, we left those carefree days of play behind and became adults. We stopped playing. But researchers now say that play as an adult is just as valuable to help us thrive as it was when we were kids.
The definition of play is a range of intrinsically motivated activities done for recreational pleasure and enjoyment.
“Play Is Self-Chosen and Self-Directed. Play is guided by mental rules, but the rules leave room for creativity. Play is imaginative. Play is conducted in an alert, active, but relatively non-stressed frame of mind.” - Scholarpedia
In short, just about anything you do recreationally that brings you joy and excitement can be considered play.
And the benefits of play as an adult include increasing your overall well-being, improving coping with stress, and improving physical health.
We think of play as something only children do. But to improve our well-being, stress management, and physical health, play as adults is essential.
I began writing this blog post mid-flight from Minneapolis MN to Seoul South Korea. More specifically, we were at 40,000 feet above the Bering Sea from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska headed southwest towards Japan and Korea. Flying and traveling are things I enjoy for fun. And exploring the map geography while in flight is a form of play for me. The names of far flung remote geographical points on a map are happy memory triggers of things I learned in school and my time in the military. The memories take me back to happy times of my youth, exploring the world and learning more about myself.
I finished writing this blog on the return flight home from Korea somewhere mid-flight over the Pacific Ocean. I flew to Korea for vacation but also to have several medical tests done. I don’t have any serious illness that is driving the desire to do the tests. But I do have some health concerns and some symptoms that I would feel better about after doing some medical tests. And I’ve had several friends and coworkers recently diagnosed with life threatening illnesses and some passing away at young ages.
The medical tests so far came back looking good with no major issues. I have some additional information and medications for the health related symptoms, but otherwise a clean bill of health.
I am grateful for that news and it reminds me of the importance of taking care of our health as much as possible. It doesn’t prevent all diseases, but we can at least minimize the risks. As the quote says, “if you don’t make time for taking care of your health now, you will be forced to make time for your illness later.”
And in addition to regular health screenings, engaging in play is a major contributing action we all can take as adults to take care of our physical and psychological health.
I was reminded of the importance of play as adults throughout this trip. This included watching the Korean traditional pansori (folk) singers and musicians in Jeonju, hiking up the mountain side with friends and fellow travelers to watch the sunset over the Suncheon Bay natural wetlands, and watching the children and adults alike playing on swings at Gwangalli Beach in Busan.
And when I was doubting if this topic was the right one to publish now, while flying home from Korea, the first film I watched randomly was “Living” starring Bill Nighy. It is described as “a story of an ordinary man, reduced by years of oppressive office routine to a shadow existence, who at the eleventh hour makes a supreme effort to turn his dull life into something wonderful.”
Without spoiling the movie, I will say that the main character learns the importance of play as an adult, and tries to pass that lesson along to others. I tend to believe in signs that appear in our life journey. If that movie isn’t a big enough sign to tell me this “don’t stop playing” story is next, I don’t know what could be bigger. And I believe there are many others out there that need to hear this message.
It is a deeply emotional, touching and inspiring film that resonated so much with me and the importance of play that I watched the film twice on this flight. I highly recommend watching it as a reminder for us all to not wait until the 11th hour of life to embrace the importance and value of playing as adults.
So, next time you see a park swing, or pick up a ball, or your creative side wants to engage in a little play, allow yourself to get lost in the flow of play. It will make your whole self feel much better afterwards. And remember, don’t ever stop playing.