Rhythms:: Play

My 3 year old has one request for me the moment I walk in the door. 

"Play with me, Daddy."

Surprisingly, he isn't interested in checking in on the latest in local politics, the stock market, weather or sports. He doesn't want to set up a networking meeting, go over the latest spreadsheets or schedule a meeting to talk long-term strategy. His sole desire is to kneel by our Lego table and pull the heads off various Lego people and put them on different bodies. He wants to give various figures super powers and have them wield them with swift and complete justice. 

I've never thought of sitting my son down and talking to him about his troubling lack of productivity. For him this is one of the most important things he could be doing. He's exercising his imagination, learning how to engage with others in a way that's fun for everyone and doing something for the pure enjoyment of it all. 

When you look at that list, do you think these things are ultimately just important for the 3 year olds among us? 

Is it possible that play isn't something that we graduate or age out of, but rather a fundamental part of healthy human rhythms? Unfortunately our transition into adulthood can convince us that play is something to be left behind with blankies, training wheels and bunk beds. This coming Sunday we want to explore and help define play as an integral part of being alive and look at ways God invites us to regularly integrate it into our lives. I hope you can join us!