My experience of play
When I think of play, I don’t really think of rules and structure at all.
My memory of play is wandering around in random ways. Looking for interesting things. Imagining adventures. Or different types of activities. I didn’t structure my play. I just walked out and went.
Today, my play is more like pilgrimage. I’ll walk around with some vague destination in mind. But I have no qualms about walking through random fields and stopping at random places.
I really like that Morong pilgrimage I did (one of the last ones before all this). That really captured the adventure of stopping and listening to the end of a mass. And walking through random fields. As well as finding ourselves in weird and random places.
Brain Candy
It does wonders for the brain too. I could feel the fun of exploration. Capturing different experiences. and being able to learn from them. I could feel random connections being made. I knew it was helping me solve problems
Being human
But most of all, it just makes me feel like a full human being. There’s more to life than all this things things that I do. I like wandering and exploring and wasting lots and lots of time.
How good life would be if all people had time to wander and let their minds explore.
And without all this technology to suck us up. Like the free time would be just that. Time you have to fill with your own brain and imagination.
The technology isn’t going away
The technology isn’t going away. And whereas before play just happened. It was part of every day life. The technology has taken away time to play. And now you have to purposely find it (create it for yourself)
The paradox of creating play
But by setting aside time for the mind to wander and to play. I wonder if that kills it in the first place. Like by designating. Okay, now I’m going to play for the next two hours. I think that doesn’t necessarily work.
You have to find a way to create those conditions where your mind can really just play. You don’t have to worry and think about all sorts of things.
The ability to just let go
Or you have the muscle (the habit) of being able to let go of those things too.
Play Quote Play, Movement, and Morality
So I know I’m busy, and I have a lot to do. But I can let my mind go for now, and let myself wander freely. And just enjoy the experience of being playful.
For me right now, that comes with a feeling of having done some work for today. Even if it’s not the best and strongest work.
But just showing up. and doing a bit of that daily grind. That does the trick already.
What are the conditions that set you free to wander
An ability to let go Less things to actually worry about Something to be present to (a walk) or a friend