Well Played

My recent dance with the grandchildren gave me some new insights into each of the four, with a heavy emphasis on how they played. If you agree -as I do -with GK Chesterton that, “the true object of all human life is play” then you will agree that time spent in these observations is time well spent, indeed.

Coloring, sticker books, beach football, boogie boarding, dancing, carnival rides and a game of Old Maid or Sorry provided the field for research into the character of the little ones. The eldest is very competitive and athletic and his play reflected his advanced coordination and his powerful need to win. He knew some tricks, too…when daddy scored a touchdown he was invariably out of bounds and the score was nullified. After scoring two touchdowns he declared the score to be 50-0. In his play space a touchdown was worth 25 points…if he scored it. This kid will one day be the mayor of a city.

The second eldest child was considered a quiet player…until we found her out in the ocean boogie boarding happily and without supervision or direction. She simply decided to do it because it was fun. She captured that fun and a measure of independence at the same time. All her life she will be a quiet riot…occasionally underestimated but full of surprises.

The youngest girl was simply a riot. She pinballed and caromed about the place, stopping occasionally -if she liked the song- to “shake her booty”. She liked to roar like a lion at various times and imitating a puppy was a particular pleasure of hers. She will be a standup comic sometime in her life.

The youngest boy loved cars and coloring and was studious about driving a crayon willy-nilly over a large sheet of paper. He was a builder and a digger as the many holes and sand castles on the beach in his vicinity proved. College professor material.

Einstein said ” play is the highest form of research” and each of the kids were experimenting in their unique ways. Play is so natural to us. I can’t look at a body of water without throwing a stone into it. As the water ripples out in circles I feel that I’ve changed the world. Each of the kids were changing before my eyes as they chose their own games.

We never stop playing …doing the research into the nature of our lives. When we got home from our beach adventure I met the 95 year old mother of one of my friends. She told me her most recent bowling score.

Play on, my friends.