Stop Long Enough to Play
// The hero was just about to save the day. Villain thwarted and damsel saved. Just… a little… further… He could almost reach her. “Try harder, Ken. Try harder. You can’t let her fall.”
His one true love MUST be saved. Reeeeeach! The clock was ticking. Time was running out. It can’t end like this.
“Shauna, supper time!” and I would jump out of my skin, a violent reminder of reality.
“MOM! Don’t scare me like that!”
She would just shake her head and marvel at why I would be gasping for air and clutching my heart.
Do you remember those days when you’d become so engrossed in ‘play’ that you’d lose all track of time and space? I do.
I remember using pieces of Styrofoam from our new TV or dishwasher to build a Barbie penthouse suite in my bedroom closet. I even had a swimming pool with real water. Oh, the adventures and drama we would have there. Weddings and parties, friendship and heartache, danger and heroism. drama, drama, drama.
I remember being so engrossed in the story that I couldn’t hear my mom walk down the hall and open the door. //
“Shauna, bed time!”
“MOM! Don’t scare me like that!” *roll eyes*
When was the last time you lost yourself in play like that?
This week, Erwin has been in Australia visiting Raelynne and attending the Hillsong Pastors Conference. He’s been gone and we’ve been on school holidays, using the downtime to revisit ALL of the old movies that the kids loved when they were little. OK, not all of them, but a LOT of them. Disney movies, musicals, adventures, originals and remakes. It’s been the best fun going down memory-lane.
Last night, we watched the new movie called “Boss Baby.” Have you seen it yet? You know how the boy’s imagination turns a normal living room into outer space, or a race track, or the wild west?
David kept saying…
“Mom! That’s EXACTLY what it was like for me when I was little! EVERYTHING we played became REAL.”
Car chases, sword fights, exploring, adventures… I remember them playing like that!
And I thought to myself, “I miss that. I miss that childlike simplicity to create and believe. To imagine and explore.”
Can we get back there again? I don’t know. But I suppose it starts when we stop the busyness long enough to engage, and feel, and imagine.
Adventure starts when we stop the busyness long enough to engage, feel, and imagine. Click To Tweet
It’s the challenge placed before us…
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME THIS HOLIDAY?
Tell a story, write a story, act out a story.
Build a fort, a sandcastle, a mud pie.
Draw a picture, paint a portrait.
Write a song, create a musical.
Or make a piece of art (even if the only tools you have are marshmallows, Teddy Grahams, and wooden skewers).
This holiday, will you stop ‘adulting’ long enough to CREATE something memorable? Click To TweetWill you PLAY again?
Challenge. accepted.
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♥ HOORAY! 
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And yes, you’re gonna LOVE it!
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Every Friday, I join an inspiring group of writers to write for FIVE MINUTES on a one-word prompt. No editing. No revising. Just WRITE. This week, the prompt word was PLAY.
// indicates the start and stop of the timer.
For more information on Five Minute Friday, check out the Five Minute Friday website!
Hi Shauna, I am visiting from Five Minute Friday. I enjoyed the visual of your daughter lamenting over being interrupted in her play. Like you, I miss the freedom of play. It is such a gift to be a parent and have little soul reminders not to take life too seriously 🙂 Blessings upon your day, Julie
Hi, Julie! So nice to meet you.
Haha, the little girl in the story was actually ME, but my kids were no different. I guess the apple never falls far from the tree, does it? I have such fond memories of them getting lost in their play times. Don’t you sometimes wish we could turn back the clock and play again with those chubby little faces? 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting! Have a wonderful week!
Here’s to a summer of more engagement and uninterrupted play. Loved your post today. Visiting from #FMF I’m #31 this week!
My apologies, Carolina! I completely forgot to reply to you two weeks ago. (crazy month)
Yay for engagement and uninterrupted play! That’s the perfect ToDo List for this summer. I’m IN! (Although it’s winter where we are in South Africa. No beach time around here… it’s coooold.)
Hope you had a great week 🙂 Heading over to read your post now.
Great post, Shauna…and as someone who never learned to play (life got too serious too fast) I’m grateful for your lifting the veil, so to speak, that I could see what I missed.
You described the feelings so well!
#2 at FMF this week.
https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/07/your-dying-spouse-333-from-humiliation.html
Thanks, Andrew! I’m so glad I could take you on a little journey of imagination and creativity.
I’m going to take my liberties here… Today, I’m praying that Father would allow you to dream some PLAY tonight. That the pain would disappear for a few hours and that He’d play with you to your heart’s content. No more adulting. Just childlike wonder.
Sending much ♥ to you and Barb (and the dogs).
Shauna,
Love this! Can I stop adulting? I’m starting to write limericks just for fun. And make up crazy songs again like when I did when my kids were little. We are God’s children, made in his image. We can tap into his imagination if we allow ourselves to believe it. #74 fmf
Yessss! I give you permission to stop adulting for a while 🙂 haha!
But only if you share some of your limericks here too! Bring it on!
I hope you had a good week. (I’m so sorry, I completely forgot to reply to everyone’s comments last week. Too much play perhaps?)