Recess: Taking time to Play

Day 31 of 100 days of Blogging

“We all need a little bit of a recess. It’s a necessity and we’ve been treating it like a luxury.” ‘s Hirsh-Pasek to

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I cut this quote out of a Temple University Alumni report and it ended up on my co-creative vision board for the month of October. At the beginning of the new year, I create a series of pages to give me some insight into the 12 months of the year. Randomly reaching into a bag of words and expressions cut out of magazines, I close my eyes and ask for guidance for the month of ____________. I do that for every month to create a year of inspiration. It is one of the ways I Daydream with God.

So, here is this random quote during the month of October which has reflected to me a week of play in New York for my birthday and my granddaughter’s birthday, a weekend in Pennsylvania leading a workshop on Tuning into Deeper Listening with an afternoon at the Grotto and now a week of pet sitting with a sweet doggie named Hattie. The messages all month is to stop and PLAY! Play with laughter, community potluck in New York, walking in beautiful, sacred places, playing music and dancing, sweet conversations over pots of coffee. Pausing to look at the moon, the changing seasons, listen to the birds and PLAY!

I think the little doggie, Hattie, was put on the planet to remind us all to play. Hanging out in the backyard, she brings the ball to me over and over with a commanding bark to throw it. Tearing through piles of leaves falling from the trees all week, she skids to a stop to grab the ball with her teeth while quickly turning to make a beeline back to me. Dropping the ball and barking, AGAIN, AGAIN!

Occasionally the sight of a fallen tree branch or the wind blowing the leaves will halt her ball retrieving as she explores the thing that is right in front of her. Running towards me at a full on gallop with ears flapping and a mouth stretched full of a yellow tennis ball. No agenda other than PLAY!

I have been reflecting on how much value we give productivity and how little we value the power of play in our society. The common question of Doing. What are you DOing tonight, this weekend, for the holidays? What do you DO for work? I notice there is still a part of me that feels like I have to have something tangible to prove my worth on the planet. I don’t have the answer for that right now. Just an awareness and keeping it visible as an exploration.

IMG_0345Spending the week with Hattie has me letting go of figuring anything out and just playing. Throwing the ball. Taking walks. Pausing to watch the leaves falling off the trees. Looking at the moon. Sitting in the backyard with a cup of coffee. Filling up with the simple pleasure of being.

And sometimes jumping up on my lap and showering me with wet, juicy dog kisses is more important than throwing the ball.

Hattie reminding me to play also reminds me to love and be loved. Now, shut up and kiss me!

 

 

 

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315353_10201052497332086_1044127686_nAndrea Hylen believes in the power of our voice to usher in a new world. She is the founder of Heal My Voice, an organization that inspires women and men to heal a story, reclaim personal power and step into greater leadership.  Andrea discovered her unique gifts while parenting three daughters and learning to live life fully after the deaths of her brother, son and husband. In addition to serving as Heal My Voice’s Executive Director, Andrea is an Orgasmic Meditation Teacher and Sexuality Coach.

She is following her intuition as she collaborates with women and men in organizations and travels around the world speaking, teaching and leading workshops. Her passion is authentically living life and supporting others in doing the same. To connect with Andrea and learn about current projects go to: www.andreahylen.com and www.healmyvoice.org.

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