A year of play. 

 

Here is how we began this year of play.

Goals: to play, take breaks and restart. 

 

I heard a quote on PBS years ago about Mark Twain and his life that has stayed with me for years. 

 

Go back to doing what you did when you thought you knew what you were doing. 

 

It sounded perfect and like a great plan as the new year started.  

Now the year is almost over and this picture came up on my phone.

I love this picture!  It tells such a story. 

 

The timing is always grand as we roll through the day. Today is no exception.

Go back

Let’s go back to this year of play.  A summer of the best fun. 

 

Watch as I point out big and little things.  Some that you may notice right away in the photo. Others you may need to search for. 

 

This summer was one that had goals.  A quest you could call it.  How many different stores can we visit in one summer break that have this favorite item?  

 

We are me and our son, Dallin.  

The favorite items are those vacuums.  Yes, I am telling the truth.

Every vacuum had a name sign in sign language. Each was investigated for size, shape, color, effective suction and bonus if there was reading material available onsite. 

 

Every week the goal was to find a store in a 40 mile radius that had not been visited yet.  Locate the vacuum aisle and spend time discovering each item. 

Could we do it?  We went for it every week. 

 

We hit the jackpot in this store. There were sales people all around us. As soon as the solid gold joy came onto Dallin’s face with the comparison of each vacuum, only one person came forward to see if other selections could be brought out to add to his experience.  

 

Respect and time was given. Brochures were found behind counters. This look stayed for the entire time.  

 

It brought my own smile then, and even now, to realize that people are good.  

 

Doing something that seemed small like finding brochures about a product that we see in most every home.  

It may actually be a big deal.  

Take the time

Take the time to do those small things. 

 

He decided when time was done and he said thank you when the adventure was finished. Always with a wave and more signing about all the amazing things he saw and wanted to tell dad about later. 

 

Those are the big and little things you may see in the picture.  The smile and the behind the scenes story. 

 

What else do you see?  There is always more to see in a picture.  

Open happiness and that look of assuredness. Good vibes flowed and the world was there for his next steps. 

What could come next?  Anything. Play on! 

Goals for this year of play came from years like this summer of play. 

 

No pressure or hype? 

 

Nah. We always play. It is that we do it now with purpose.  

Purpose

As much purpose as we did for all those years.  With our Dallin.  

Make the plans.  Do what is needed to keep them.  

 

Playing now could be with a ball, a frisbee, or ping pong. 

Jumping on the trampoline and playing checkers.

 

Going on a hike, coloring with family, watching old home movies or talking as the sun goes down. 

 

Doing a puzzle or making a list of what we want to do next.  That is one thing to play with often.

 

Creating smiles of joy and perhaps pausing to become whatever this year will help us finish.  

 

It could be saying thank you to this piece of adventure as we wander into the next year of play. 

That is one the most important pieces I learned in that long ago summer of play.

 

What is on your list, my friends?  Our list comes and goes.  Flow with it, folks.