Holiday 2 - Play! ...

Wednesday, July 21, 2010. Our children like to play. They start early in the morning, just after getting up. They play and play. Can we leave the table? They want to continue their games. In the late evening, they are still playing in the garden or somewhere in the house.

Playing as a center of life?

I wonder whether games should be in the center of our life. Perhaps it is our determination to play? We like shows on TV where some people play games, where there is some competition, where you can win or loose, but you basically play something which is otherwise completely useless.

Play can be characterized as an activity which does not fit into immediate targets. It is an activity which is not carried out to earn money or to gain particular things which are important for your survival. Games by definition are useless in a particular sense. Of course, there are professional games today and always have been. People have earned their money by entertainment. But still they serve our impulse to play … our joy with games!

I like games, in particular sports games like football, basket ball or table tennis. The physical activity is wonderful, and there is some competitive element. You can try to run and to catch the ball … and to score a goal. Other people like to play particular games, cards, monopoly, etc etc. There are further games around, even science can be seen as a game, as something where you play and explore your possibilities, your mind, your insight and the world around you.

God likes to play

I am convinced that playing has been explicitly created by the Lord. He likes music. He liked David to play instruments. He likes to listen to songs. He likes children and their play. He even puts children up as an example for us adults. What could he mean? Of course, their faith and their trust. But also: their life of playing, … and playing, … and playing …

How do you come close to the Lord? Perhaps it is an important step to discover the world of play? When I look at this creation, I discover joy in colors, joy in forms, joy in various structures and processes. This all looks like a big game to me. God had joy in creation, the joy of playing around which what he could do, what he could create. He took things serious, of course. But it is still a kind of game, a kind of play, … and look how well this is carried out! ... more texts