FreThink

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“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

A fireman, nurse, policeman, soldier, spy, ballerina, pilot, astronaut, but mostly, especially, grown up. We want to stop being children and become adults.

Even children use “childish” as a pejorative.  Adults are responsible, mature, somber, sober and serious. The only time most adults let loose and have fun is during sex, which could explain the popularity of that activity among adults. Adulthood has no time for fun. Playing is for kids.

We adults do ourselves a disservice.

Fun is good for everyone, young and old. Playing requires imagination and to imagine is to exercise your brain.  Having fun lets you look at life askew, and what you see may impress you. Playing is refreshing. It recharges our batteries.

Fun keeps us young, it allows us to extend some aspects of childhood into adulthood. There’s value in play, as the following video points out. Not only was this a brilliant way to get people to do something healthy for themselves, it also introduces an element of play into their lives. It improves their inner and outer health. We ought to build all stairs this way. Why can’t we design hopscotch squares into our public sidewalks every few blocks? Why don’t we all relax and have a little fun everyday?

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