Playing

I am a serious guy. That’s my self image. It’s not true though. I like to have fun. I don’t have much fun because I have this belief that fun has to have a reason. I am not alone in that. Lot’s of people operate with that system.

So the other day I engaged in a “play date” with eight other adults. A friend of mine, Bilha, and her husband Yair, were putting on a two hour retreat. This was one of those events where you commit to go but then realize you have no idea what the event is actually about or what you are going to be doing. The mind makes up a lot of terrible stories about the event trying to get you to avoid going.

I went.

And had the best time I have had in a long time. The whole idea was for the eight people attending to take directions from the facilitator, in a safe taking care of yourself way, and have fun. We danced, told stories, communicated in gibberish (think the minions from the animated feature, small, yellow, entities), and in general were very creative and out of the box.

I haven’t had that much fun for a long time. Playing.

I think it was PACT Creative training that was the baseline for the activities. I am not familiar with them so I need to look them up. https://pactcreative.com/

I think I needed to be in that environment again. Silly. Free. No judgement. With several individuals who were willing to let the adult crappy rules slide for a few hours.

I will do this again. Soon. I encourage everyone to do this. My frame of reference on everything has changed. Things are different. I wish I had a better explanation but I don’t. But, I’m OK with that.

Zen, Tao, and all the mystic branches of every spiritual path tell us the same thing, “Be like children.” Be here. Explore and be curious. Take care of you. Laugh. No expectations of next, only now.

I think it has a lot to do with Zen. But that’s just me.

The minions in the picture are mine.

Be well,

Bryan