Play- Add it to your relationships !
You know how one thought leads to another that leads to another and so on until you are so far from the original thought you can’t remember how you got there? Happens to me all the time. Sometimes I can make the trip back to the original thought, sometimes not. Doesn’t really matter because I figure I’ve ended up where I was suppoesd to be anyway.
As I sat down to write this today I was thinking about the difficulty I have falling asleep some nights. Last night had been one of those nights. What had been on my mind? I went back over my ruminations of the night before. What was I worrying about? Did I forget to call someone? Did I play too much and not get my tasks done? I’d forgotten to make reservations for a couple nights away in October, which led to thoughts about what books to take on vacation,which led to wishing Polly Horvath would write another book.
So as I was trying to fall asleep last night the thought occured to me at the end of the above disjointed train of thought, that we had never thanked God in any of our prayers for Polly Horvath. When we say a blessing at dinner every night we include our thankfullness for the chipmunks we watch play in our back yard, the many colorful songbirds at our feeders, and of course for the abundance of food, home, and health HE has provided for us but never have we included Polly. By now you have either stopped reading or are wondering who IS Polly Horvath . While this is probably too much information if you are still reading, read on.
Polly is an author of two amazing children’s books (actually many more than two children’s books but only two about our favorite characters) – about Mr. and Mrs. Bunny and their adventures. http://www.polllyhorvath.com I stumbled onto them shelving books at Barnes and Noble, doing a temporary stint at Christmas a few years ago. Yes, I’m a nurse but I love books and…..well, its a long story.
I brought the books home. My husband and I read them aloud to each other. Reading aloud is also a form of play we have incorporated into our lives together. I have decided these are not really children’s books. Oh, kids would probably love the furry Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, but so much of the verbal interactions and reactions between these two rabbits is far, far above what children would understand. We decided Mr and Mrs. Bunny were our animal counterparts! Mrs. Bunny, the long suffering wife at least in her mind, dearly loved Mr. Bunny and frequently made him his favorite carrot soup while muttering under her breath about the fact he forgot to bring home more carrots. Mr. Bunny, though sometimes bumbling in his attempts, also loved Mrs. Bunny, though in his thriftiness did not always express it as well. Mr. Bunny preferred to shop at Bunny-Mart while Mrs. Bunny much preferred Bunnydale’s.
But I digress. My point is we became Mr. and Mrs. Bunny in our everyday lives- to each other. This subtle form of play has really added to our lives together, even at times softening the edges of a conversation that could become a more heated argument. It’s hard to sound really critical when you preface your comment with “Mr. Bunny!” Mr. and Mrs. Bunny can tell each other anything and listen more patiently than Susan and Tom ever could. Does it sound childish? Maybe. The point is it works. Play can be a powerful tool. Polly Horvath has enriched our lives. And my husband agrees, even though I wakened him to tell him so last night. Mr. Bunny can be a very understanding rabbit- I mean spouse.
Play – Not only for kids
Play is so important in our relationships, rather it be with friends, spouses, or our children. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/mentalhealth/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm Life can be, many days, hard and serious. Most days are filled with work, questions that need to be answered, assignments that need to be completed, and decisions that have to be made. Sometimes we forget to nourish the child in us and in those around us. We make it to bedtime and realize we haven’t laughed all day or maybe for two or three days. Life is too short to be without levity. There IS time to make it part of your daily life.
Play a word game in the car even if you are just riding with your husband to a PTA meeting.
When you rake leaves make a leaf pile and jump in it or rake it into a leaf house like you did as a kid.
Read a favorite story aloud. It can be a couple pages a night or a whole chapter. Make it a special night for the family or for just the two of you. Take turns choosing the book. And don’t rule out children’s books (We also read the entire Harry Potter series aloud to each other!).
Make up fun names for each other. I remember when my daughter was about 5 she came downstairs for supper and announced to her dad, “I think I shall call you Freddie Farkle, and you (indicating her brother) can be Markle Farkle. Mom, you will be Sparkle Farkel and I shall be Freda Farkle” While her father wasn’t particularly amused I thought it was hilarious and Anne became Freda for many weeks (months) after that. I have no idea where the names came from but it was fun.
Do we mind if his co-workers look a little perplexed when Tom prefaces a phone call to me with “Hey! Is this Mrs. Bunny?” Sometimes it makes it even funnier. Maybe we should tell them about Polly Horvath.