Play

the single most significant factor in determining our success and happiness.

This is the inaugural weekend edition of the Daily Drucker blog.  DD has been historically silent on the weekends.   During a recent bike thought moment it occurred to me that Peter would have had something to say about the two days that break up our work week.   Inspired by the ride and with a nudge from the ghost of Peter the weekend edition was born.  

The weekend format may or may not follow that of the daily posts.  Content will be wide open. Books, hobbies, sports, movies, music or any subject likely to bring a smile to your heart will be featured on the Saturday post.  Sunday posts will honor the spirit of reverence, rest and reflection. 

So welcome to the first post of the weekend edition and to get things started lets talk about play.  Dog's understand play.  Our dog Lucy loves to chase the tennis ball across the yard.  She struts when she brings it back and has to make two passes by me before she drops it just to show me that she has it under control.  A few good fetches are followed by a dip in the pool to cool down and then a brisk "shake the water off" as close as she can to me.  I'm pretty sure she is grinning from ear to ear with each splash that comes my way.  Lucy plays the fetch, swim and splash game for nothing other than the pure joy of it.

Kids understand play.  In fact they view it as their job.  Last week my two year old grandson, donned his arm band floaties  at a friends pool and paddled his way off the shallow island to the other side.  You could see the joy bubbling up from his toes when he stood on the other side to listen to our applause.  This was followed by the immediate, "Again". 

 

We should never let go of our sense of play.  We are built for play and are built through play. Play has been said to be the single most significant factor in determining our success and happiness.  We lose ourselves in play and in that blissful abandon we are both consumed and restored.  Play engages us in risk, discovery, pleasure, learning, overcoming challenges and brings a sense of balance to our lives.  Anyone can play.  Play is voluntary.  Play is fun and leaves us wanting more.  It shapes our brain, opens our imagination and ultimately invigorates our soul.

Play provides intense pleasure, renews our optimism and opens us up to new worlds.    It sparks our thinking and fires our creativity.  We feel most alive when we play and some have said it is the truest expression of our individuality and the purest expression of our humanity.     

ACTION POINT:  Go forth and play!