My Connections to Play

“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw

When I was a child, my grandmother would force us to go outside every day after homework was completed. She would always say, “Go outside and burn up some of that energy cause you driving me crazy. When I was a child, as long as the sun was up, we played. All ya’ll like to do is sit under me and watch TV.” She was right, I loved sitting with her talking about her childhood. I was very inquisitive and asked a lot of question. But I loved playing just as much that she would have to search for me sometimes when the street lights came on.

There was no particular game that interested me more than the other as long as I was allowed to play. I can remember all the different roles we played with friends. Pretend play made me feel as a child that I had the ability to be anyone I wanted to be when I grew up. I would expand my play by trying things that I normally would not try when not in play. It allowed me to challenge my own limitation without the fear of failure because I was only playing.

Play is a self-esteem builder for the young and old. We are allowed to relax, let our guards down and explore. As an adult, I can remember every song, rhyme and activity I did as a child during play. I quotes I choose supports how I view play in my childhood and life. I created my most clever thinking during play and if I mature to point in my life that I am not able to play, I will truly perish.

        

Becoming A Friend

I have always been a very out spoken person that pretty much stated exactly what was on my mind but I am a person that love hard and will do almost anything for those that need it. I learned quickly in my personal and professional life that I made people feel uncomfortable with my comments and often prevented them to want to tell me things. I had to learn to modify my distasteful comments while continuing to be truthful to them and to myself. A close and dear friend shared with me how I made her feel sometimes with the words I chose but she knew that I was truly concern and wanted to deter her from participating in what she was involved with. My efforts were never intended to hurt anyone. I had to look in the mirror and do a self evaluation of myself and I did not like what I had become. I was willing to change and it has been hard; however, the sacrifice is worth it.

Even though I was a blunt person, I had lots of friends and love ones that I spent a lot of time with. Now that I have changed, my relationships have blossomed so abundantly. I can see the difference in my past interaction with my acquaintances and my present and how it has become a more give and receive type of relationships where they are concerned about me too. I guess I never allowed them to show me. I can say nowadays that I am a listener and consoler that have learned to allow other to make their own decisions unless they ask for mine. I receive joy in just having moments or occasion that I can share with someone without being concerned if I have said something inappropriate.  I am a social bunny that loves to laugh, love and relate with others. Relationships are important and it takes dedication from both parties to keep them together.