Love Of The Game
Do you remember what you were like as a young kid?
I think I know…
Hyperfocused on your career?
Gulping down coffee at recess just to deal with the daily weight of society?
Obsessively checking your investment portfolio between sit-ups in gym class?
Uh, probably not.
Look, I don’t know a thing about your childhood. Doubt it was all butterflies and rainbows (since that isn’t real life). But I’m guessing we had one important trait in common. Early on, I think we all had the capacity to play. Remember that? Once upon a time, such playfulness lived within us. Literally just hand us a bucket and some sand back then and watch what happens.
Now, let’s fast forward to today…
Without bias, look at the grownups you know. Your friends…family…coworkers…and, of course, you. It’s safe to say that adulthood is more…weighed down…right? Not exactly the same lightness of youth? Of course. Obviously, there are responsibilities. Clearly, the world is a mess. And, undoubtedly, people have hurt us along the way. But I’m just asking a simple question…
Do you still live your days with a sense of play?
(Note: I’m referring to the sober version of you. Pouring booze in a glass to loosen up is a whole different thing)
Don’t worry, my intention isn’t to judge. I’m honestly asking…
Assuming, of course, that we’re lucky enough to have no immediate health or financial crisis…where exactly did our old playfulness go? Did it just vanish into thin air?
Eagerness to play was the defining trait of how we walked through the world once upon a time.
So…what happened?
Recently, I took my first post-Covid trip. Jumped on a plane to an amazing $1000/night resort in Hawaii (booked with points, of course). I sat in my luxurious lounge chair smack dab in the middle of paradise. Watching person after person stroll by. And something became very clear…
Kids, for the most part, have a much bigger capacity for joy. It’s hard to deny and impossible to ignore. In fairness, the adults didn’t seem miserable. Their resting faces often grew less frowny, sometimes even neutral, and (gasp) occasionally broke out in smiles. But their appetite for play…even in the middle of a dream playground…was clearly more limited. Kind of a muffled, “grown up” version.
Right about now, some guy named JimBob from Tuscaloosa is reading these words and thinking:
“Dude, I got older and had to start WORKING. That’s what happened to my playfulness.”
As is often the case with Jimbob, he has completely missed the point. While I didn’t know the people walking on that beach…I imagine some of them were not in the midst of a major life crisis. Clearly, most were on a fantastic vacation. And, yet, even in a perfect setting for it…far removed from the workplace…they just didn’t seem to have much of a sense of play left. Now, of course, there are always some exceptions…
Occasionally, a “grownup” walked by and grabbed my attention completely. No, not because of their choice of swimwear, JimBob. But because that person (whether male or female) had a different kind of energy. It was so glaringly obvious. They managed to hold onto something that most of their peers have lost.
And, right then, I realized it…
Having a sense of play isn’t a trait. It’s a skill. Young kids don’t need to develop it because they haven’t lost it yet. Whatever will diminish their playfulness…the stuff that will weigh them down as adults…hasn’t happened yet.
It’s different for us.
We have to WANT to keep our playfulness. It’s something we have to consciously choose.
Look, there’s no shortage of shit for us to be upset or stressed about. All legitimate stuff. But just look at the amount of money we spend each year to get away from it – from tv channels to streaming services…from seeing live music to downloading songs…from standup comedy to sporting events – we spend all that money to watch other adults play. In the hope that some of that feeling will rub off on us. Think of all the vacations you’ve taken to try to shake things up. Think back to all your best memories as an adult and remember what felt so good.
I know. There are a million things to be upset about today. And tomorrow. And for the next 10 years. But let’s talk crazy for a second…
What if we took a day to see if we still have it in us to be truly carefree and playful? Just one day to consciously try to play. All the stressful stuff will definitely be there tomorrow. Would it be so bad to check in and see if the little kid is still alive in you somewhere? Just a thought. Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to test out today…
