The Magic of Play

Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars? Anyone who has loved has been touched by magic. It is such a simple and such an extraordinary part of the lives we live.

Nora Roberts

Magic exists in the beauty of sunrise or in the sunset, as day turns into night, and then back again to day.  We hear it in the laughter of the children or in the enchanting tune of our favorite song. There is the magic of the changing seasons and the magic that is found in all the world around us.  The magic of the stones, the stars, plants, trees.  Magic is all around us.  It is everywhere. 

And then, there is the magic of play.  This is the kind of magic that we tend to forget as we grow older. We become so enmeshed in the world of reality that we forget what it is to play. But play is important to adults, too. It helps us to clear our minds and relax. Imagination is good for the soul.  For those who have known me for awhile, I always keep a coloring book and crayons on hand for those overly stressful days.  It helps me to unwind to become a child again, even if only for an hour. I also love cutouts, always have.  Only, I've not been able to find them in the stores lately. It seems little girls today, in this technological world, don't have the opportunity to experience what once gave us great joy.

I have to wonder...how many children today have the opportunity to or even want to romp about the yard on a broom, pretending it is their faithful horse?  My grandmother's groom was Sowdy. Why, I even remember my horse's name almost 60 years later, but don't ask me where I got it from.  That's how magical life was back then...before the days of video games and 500 channel t.v.  

I still love the magic of play.  It's what keeps me going.  And, although I don't indulge as often as I once did, I'm finding my way back again.  My office space is so much out of the norm.  At the old place, I had so many little guys who used to sing and dance.  Everyone, clients as well as staff, used to remark that it was like stepping into a magical world.  Alas, most have been given away now because I just don't have the room where we are now, but, the following guys made the trip with me.

  

Mr. Frog plays and sings "I'm a Gambling Man" while Mr. Gorilla just sits there and rolls his eyes.  Mr. Rat has been with me almost 15 years now. He is just too soft, cuddly, and cute to let go.

White Boy moves his arms and sings "Play That Funky Music, White Boy." Officer Ron twirls his nightstick and sings "Bad Boys". Sometimes I like to play tricks on clients as well as co-workers, so one night I advised my parole group that we had a special guest.  When I said Officer Ron would be speaking at the group, the youngest group member got highly upset, "We don't want him here." Then, I took out little Officer Ron and allowed him to do his thing, and the group burst out in laughter. Along the same lines, I once had a parrot that repeated everything  you said.  I thought my guys would enjoy it, but when I sat  him in the middle of floor, everyone refused to speak.  They thought he was taping everything they said.  For that one, I humbly apologized.

This little pirate parrot, on the other hand, sings "I Want Candy" while flapping his wings.  Miss Flower sings "Hello, Hello, Hello", all based on nearby movement.  I used to keep her sitting next to the candy dish in my office. Every time someone snuck into my office take a candy, she'd go off in song and scare the cahoots out of them. I got such a kick out of it. Tinker Bell  was a recent gift from one of my clients.

Not exactly the kind of behaviors one would expect from a woman my age, right?  But, hey, we have to laugh.  We have to find joy in our lives.  We can't go through life so serious we have no time to play.  

So, what how do you play?