Community Post: A Week of Play

Some folks say they want to "work hard, play hard." My husband and I prefer, "Work steady, play steady." Which means we'll keep doing both, as long as we can.

We like work. We believe that work is an amazing privilege of life on planet Earth. We like the way it feels to be productive, to meet a deadline, to cross off the last item on the to-do list, and to accomplish a task for the greater good. My husband, a farmer, gets almost giddy when it's time to plant crops each spring.

Sure, we like work. But we’re not fun-haters. We also like to golf, fish, watch silly movies, belt out '80s tunes and sit quietly by campfires. Instead of calling in sick, we call in well. We choose to set aside our labors, even on days when there's still plenty of work to be done.

Some folks say they'll work hard until retirement, then enjoy their golden years on a beach or a golf course somewhere. My husband says we ought to mix in plenty of play now—rather than saving it for some magical moment of retirement. Because what if we suddenly "arrived" and realized that we waited too long to actually show up for our own lives?

That's why I love this theme at The High Calling: The Work of Play.

Truth is, play is not just for kids. And in our hyper-productive world, we need to learn how to play again.

I've learned so much from the writers in our community who have contributed to the theme "The Work of Play."

Brian Newman shared how office relationships were strengthened after the boss took everyone out for an afternoon at the arcade.

Amy Breitmann took us back to the elementary playground, encouraging all of us to reclaim the playfulness of our childhood selves.

JoAnn Fore told us how her comedic husband has taught her the gift of laughter.

Lisha Epperson, mama of five, tells us about the work of play in a busy household.

In our featured “Best of the Week” community post, Alyssa Santos penned a beautiful reflection. In the story, we watch her mom during a playful moment while fishing. Alyssa writes: “I didn’t know then, what over forty years of parenting and thirty years of full-time ministry cost my mom. I knew her stern looks, her words of caution, admonition and instruction, the clatter of the pans as she cooked dinner, her clear soprano voice singing hymns. I knew her jagged-edged and angry silence. But I never witnessed her relax near the border of fun until I was a teenager and then only glimpses of it, like spring sunshine playing hide-and-seek with the clouds.”

Alyssa's words were a fresh reminder for me. I don't want to get so caught up in my work, that I forget how to play. And I want my daughters -- now ages 12 and 9 -- to have fond memories of play with their mother.

Other writers generously shared stories on their blogs for this series. Be sure to check these out:

Kathleen writes how tedious living had plagued her, and she prayed for a more fulfilling life. "God heard the pleas of my heart. He gave me my dream job.In answer to my prayers, God provided work in an autism specific preschool. Here I learned the joy of play at work." Read her story here.

Diane Bailey gives us her take on "the work of play" with a beautiful story and photos. She writes: "In softball, or anything we play, the work of raising the next generation for Christ, and with integrity, is a job with no vacations, but a great return. The question for all of us is, when you are up to bat, will you play with integrity, allowing our children to see up swing for the spiritual fences?" Find her story here.

Put on your Groucho Marx glasses and go pay a visit to Jody Lee Collins. You won't want to miss her playful story. She writes: "Play at work and having fun are not only the best medicine, they provide the strongest kind of bond there is—laughter through tears in the hardest of times." Read Jody's story here.

Each of the stories featured in this series remind us about our true callings.

And as Amy Breitmann wrote, courage and calling can be traced back to those early moments of play as a child, when we pretended and role-played and saw the world through believing eyes – upside-down on the monkey bars.

“I dreamt and discovered. I did daring things and began to really see the world around me.”

Tell us, when’s the last time you hung upside down and looked at your world differently? What is your play teaching you about your calling?

Play is not just for kids. If you are under pressure in your work, a spirit of play can lead to balance, creativity, and good health. In our hyper-productive world, we need to learn how to play again—at home, on the job, and even in worship. This article is part of our series The Work of Play. If someone you know needs to rediscover the joy of play, invite them to the conversation on The High Calling.