The play's the thing

I have a t-shirt that says, “Dodgeball: America’s Twist on Stoning.” I find it quite amusing and from those who were the throwers and those who were the dodgers it usually elicits some type of response.

I share this with you because of a story I heard about a school in New Hampshire that is planning on stopping children from playing tag. Seriously. Tag. The game perhaps every child grew up playing. Tag.

The reasons given by the administration is that while playing Tag kids were not paying attention and were running into things and tripping and falling. Seriously. Tag.

I am still troubled by the fact that schools were doing away with dodgeball and now this!

Ask any person of a certain age what they remember about Dodgeball and you get a response. Some will still cuss-out the jocks without mercy; some will berate the gym teacher who would not allow them to intentionally get out of the game; and some will smile maniacally and tell tales of targeting cheerleaders.

To balance out this narrative, today I heard a story where local researchers here in Pittsburgh celebrate and condone the nature of play and find that children who regularly play and notably play board games show increases in creativity and development.

Play is what kids do. I come from a family of….how to put this...players. We played board games almost every day (please see the above findings of the researchers...smile) anything from Parcheesi to the aptly named Aggravation to “Sorry” to card games to outside games involving a ball and our imagination.

We had frequent game nights and every Christmas someone in the family gets a boardgame of some sort and it’s game on!

Playing games is a very good thing!

I grieve the fact that kids today seem incapable of simply getting together with the neighborhood gang and playing a game. I am saddened when kids tell me they don’t play board games at home.

Sometime soon I beg you to get together and play something!

Break out a board game! Get a bouncey ball and play “7-Up!” Shuffle a deck-of-cards and play “Go Fish!”

Shoot, be a complete radical and get a group of people together and play a game of Tag…..just be sure to wrap the trees and telephone poles in safety padding….please……

sj;

Buddha and The Duck

Did the title get your attention?

Today, Sunday, 20 October, the giant Rubber Duck goes away…..it’s amazing, yet, for those of us who have visited the Duck it is understandable that persons lobbied and petitioned to keep the duck inflated and harbored to the shore near the Point.

They estimate that over 1 Million persons visited the Duck. Having spent time with the Duck I can understand why. The giant Rubber Duck reconnected folks to their childhood and was simply and wonderfully fun. Folks gathered because the energy surrounding the Duck was joyful, playful, positive and a blast!

I know! Who knew a giant, rubber duck could have that effect but he did! Folks of all ages took their photo with him, posed, positioned and preened next to a big, yellow, friendly fowl!

Now, as per the agreement, the Duck will leave the shore, be deflated (as will the spirits of many Pittsburghers) and be stored away leaving us to hopefully await his return.

The Duck taught us lessons ---to find joy in the simple things; deep happiness is sharing a whimsical moment with friends; and nothing is permanent. I’ve always been amazed at the Buddhist monks who spend days meticulously crafting a beautiful mandela only upon its completion to destroy it and sweep away the sand and the image and the hours and the work. It is a lesson that nothing lasts and to be in the moment, to trust, to be present to where your feet are at the present time.

If you’ve not already done so and to fill the space with the absence of the Duck, go see the film, GRAVITY and do so in 3D for an incredible movie-going experience. It is not difficult to get the message of this very spiritual film. My favorite scene, that puts a semi-colon on the picture, is the closing scene ---- watch the film and pay attention to the last words of the movie….another lesson in how to live.

sj;

Random thoughts on things

Every once in a while when I want to get back into a rhythm and order of writing the blog, I do a post that is part reflection, part rambling on things. This is such a post ---

How big of a genius was Myron Cope with the invention of the “Terrible Towel?” Every baseball team currently in the playoffs has fans waving some kind of towel. It’s a bit disconcerting to watch fans of the Oakland A’s wave gold towels ….looks too much like the one-and-only original towel talisman.

Can our democratic experiment be more broken? Everyone is concerned about making sure to be re-elected and caters to their respective political base instead of the shared common good of the nation.

Did you ever think the annoying kid on the playground who if she or he didn’t get his way would threaten to take her or his ball and go home would one day end up a member of congress?

Is anyone else longing for sweatshirt weather? Enough of the 80 degrees and humidity --- we are in the season of fall and should be preparing for the first frost not running the air conditioning

It’s been a long time coming, yet, how cool is it that local hospitals are dressing new-born babies in Pirates sleepers and wrapping “pirate style” a red bandana on the babes’ heads? They call them “Bucco Babies!”

The best word I’ve heard to describe the giant, 40-foot rubber ducky docked near the Point is “whimsical.” Perfect.

When you have your team in the hunt, how intense and nerve-wracking is playoff baseball? I agonize on every pitch.

How about Pope Francis? Humble. Active-concern and justice for persons who are poor. Asking us to put compassion and understanding first and foremost before judgement.

Not for anything, yet, I have learned how to make one darn good meatloaf! My culinary expertise is expanding beyond something one can microwave and a sandwich.

Society would be so much better off if we made gathering at table with others a daily practice.

There’s my ten ramblings. What are you thinking about?

sj;