Play

So, I feel like re-enacting this video would actually be a lot less fun in real life, but it really makes me want to run outside and play. My 25th birthday has come and gone, and I've been thinking a lot about how hard it's become  to allow myself to make time for spontaneity and exploration. I used to run around outside and catch butterflies and climb things and make up games and pick flowers and identify birds and PRETEND! Now that I'm officially in my mid-twenties(!) am I supposed to grow out of the desire to play and magically become more mature or responsible than I was before? Inevitably, when I left the cocoon of home and then of college, I gained more world experience and started taking responsibility for myself and my things and my work. And that's natural and good, I think. But sometimes I'll have a string of days that are totally structured around responsibility and getting a million things done, and I start to feel dull and withered--my 7 year old self would be shocked! Many days, my work does allow me to be creative and exploratory (improvising in a dance rehearsal or on a film set is about as close as you can get), but I've realized that I hardly ever do activities that aren't goal oriented anymore. In order to get back in touch with lil Jules (she's the tree-scrambling wide-eyed one with the butterfly net and binoculars), I have officially decided to set aside time to play outside. No goal, no plan. Precious time allotted JUST for going to the park, to the woods, to the beach, and letting myself get into whatever interests me in the present moment.

Special thanks to my loaf, Anna, for sharing this :)