About Compassionate Connecting
Friday, February 1, 2008
Celebrating Play
I have been appreciating the beauty of "play", and how my son Alex so clearly lives it. When he plays, he seems to be getting lots of other needs met at the same time. Of course, it's fun for me to join in too, but sometimes I just sit back and watch; other times I take pictures. So, I decided to share a small sample of my life of play with him in the slide-show to the right. I would enjoy hearing what play means to other people. Do these images stir up anything in you?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
the little slide show of your child is a true joy for me james! :) btw, thanks for linking to 'speaking peace'! :-)
Playing with Sierra (my 1 ½ year old) is so life-giving for me and for her. I think play is often meant to be a connecting experience, as I have noticed Sierra really only enjoys play when there is another person involved. When we play there are usually no toys involved. Our bodies, gestures, eye contact and verbal expressions make play so connecting. Many feelings are felt from joy and exhilaration, to adventurous fear, to peacefulness. There is a synchrony that occurs as we feed off one another’s cues and emotions. When we play, there is complete freedom to do or say anything and there is no judgment. Unconditional acceptance and enjoying one another’s creativity describes my experience during our playtimes. It is almost as if we are in another world, one without time or worries. The present moment is all that matters. I have become much more playful all around as a result of Sierra’s continual bid for connecting in that way. In many ways, my own little girl inside has been rediscovered as she has been called out to interact with Sierra. Often the adult part of me struggles to have patience to let my little girl play with Sierra. The adult calls me to plan, organize, do tasks, while the little girls desires to just be free, in the moment, completely herself without pretense or hiding anything. More than ever, I am realizing the needs of both of these parts of me and want to help them find mutuality with one another, where they value one another’s differences and both have time to get their needs met.
Thanks Julie. I enjoyed hearing about your playful spirit with Sierra, and how many needs it seems to meet for you and her. I was especially intrigued by the idea that usually there are no toys, and by your non-verbal interactions. It sounds like you are feeling joy in interacting with her as you experience her unconditional acceptance and the freedom that results through your play. I also hear that you are recognizing your own need for play and wanting a balance with your adult responsible self.
I am grateful that you were willing to share so much on this subject, as it met my needs for connection to you, and for contributing to a meaningful dialog in cyberspace.
The pictures associated with this post are available at:
picasaweb.google.com/GiraffeSurfer/AlexFun
Post a Comment