As your world turns with unexpected pressures, and disappointment and the creeping feeling of overwhelm knocks on your life door—I have two screaming words: GO PLAY.

Play can be whatever you need it to be. Play a team sport. Play in the snow. Play a prank.  Play with your dog Spot by the river. Play with your friends on a night downtown. Play on a road trip without a map and get lost. Play Nicky Nicky Nine Doors. Play a card trick. Play squash. Play on a hop-on-and-off bus in a city. Play the bongo drums. Play the game of Popcorn on a Trampoline (sorry, Auntie Merion, for popping you too hard).  Play poker with your pals—clothing optional. Play in unknown territory with your kayak. Perform in a play. Play music bingo. Play Barbies or Legos with a little kid. Play pinball. 

Just.  Go.  Play.

I used to take this bootcamp class where every Friday was “zoo play,” which meant we did exercises we used to do as a kid. We did the good ‘ol crab crawl race, we played tag, we raced like monkeys on all fours and we laughed like crazy while doing it. And boy, did we sweat.

When I first started dating my husband, we would pack up whatever we could get our hands on and head to White Rock beach to go play. Before all the new buildings and restaurants, there used to be huge fields of grass on the edge of the beach. We would find our spot, open the bag of whatever we could get our hands on, and go play. We played football. We put our baseball gloves on and played catch. We dug out the badminton rackets and played. And my favourite, was running around and playing with the kite. That beach always had the best wind and that play day made me happy.

Easygoing play just makes everything seem better and somehow lighter. The pressure of yesterday, no longer seems that big a deal. You start to question why you were so disappointed and decide to not be. And boom, you think, overwhelmed?  Who?  No way, not me.

Weirdly enough, some of the best play I have seen are with my husband’s pals. When they get together, they really do play, and it can be for hours. Beers in hand, they play informal sports trivia, challenging each other with old hockey or ball stats along with all the new stats.    They have a kooky game of Seinfeld Trivia, testing each other on where is this line and what Seinfeld episode is it from. They have all the old school movies lined up in their minds like Caddyshack or Slap Shot, and quiz each other on scenes and characters. I have seen them play crosswords together in the sunshine with their shirts off, sun tanning and still using number four Hawaiian Tropic oil!

I have been in awe watching them play a game of catch where they add game twists such as making your left shoulder the target for five points. I just realized; I have never really heard them have a lengthy, intense conversation. I think their playing is their conversation—something to ponder.

My point is, whatever play means to you, make the time and do it. And don’t count playing video games or Candy Crush on your iPhone as your play. That is a cheat.

Figure out your play.  

Playing gives you that life break. Resets your worrying brain. And the big reward is recharging your batteries for the days ahead. If you make room in your life to play, you will make better decisions as your head will be clear. The heavy burden of life stuff won’t feel so heavy. You will have re-found energy to tackle down the tough stuff.

I have so much play in my life, I don’t even know how to explain it. Maybe I have too much and am in overload?  Nah. Flipping through your photos is always fun, as they are full of play. I am loving the pics of where my niece and nephew took us out in the bush with their rifles and we played shooting at the pumpkin and pop cans. Fun gun play!  

I have thousands, yes really, thousands of pictures of my friends and I playing. Top plays would be with our “little men,” okay, well, my “little men,” dressed as firemen or lifeguards or whatever career of choice. They hang on the edge of your martini glass or a wine bottle—they are playful and fun. We have had them dancing on straws (aka a pole) taking some cheeky playful videos. We even used them as barrettes in my friend’s big curly hair one night. Holy playing, Batman.

My friends and I have seen many “playful gifts” such as hot pink decorative bras complete with fuzzy birds or blinged-out visors.  We have fun with a big blow-up doll named Billy Joel that we dress up and take out for a good body surf on the dance floor.  We also have fun with our mini blow-up doll named Billy Joel Jr who we have taken kayaking and on many road trips, hanging out on the dash of the car.  We have played with fake mustaches when out for fancy cocktails in Yaletown. We have played dress-up at the Fairmont Hotel for High Tea.  

We have played in swimming pools with confetti-filled toys. We have played insane drunk characters called Ab, Fab and Bubbles with playful English accents at Halloween parties.  We have worn matching crazy outfits more times than I can count, at concerts and just because.   We have played at many dance parties, on yachts, on hotel suite couches and always, always, in my living room. We have played Jell-O-shot throwing contests adding splashes of orange and red accent goop to my walls. We have played on the dance floor at nightclubs and bars, playing tag and peek-a-boo around the bopping crowd.

Of course, I have seen my kids play. And geez, did they play. From kid toys to young teenage boys playing big-pointy-stick tag out in the bush. Yes, I put an end to that one, as I was sure someone was going to lose an eye. I have seen the aftermath of play during the sticky-marshmallow fights that could not be removed from the TV screen.

I loved our annual family snowball fight that always got ugly and ended badly with tears—by the boys I might add. Plus, the endless games of basketball, playing Twenty-One in our driveway. I loved the road hockey games playing goalie and getting pucks at the head. Lots of ice hockey play on the frozen lake in the winter, where I know my brother-in-law cross-checked me from behind and I landed hard on my ass. That one is no fun play. Play then moved to countless games of Beer Pong in our dining room, on our patio, on our lawn and even in our hallway. Then there was the outdoor play, with crazy cliffside hikes or kayaking to our summer house rental on our own private island. There was also lots of traditional play with board games.  Loads of play with full-on card games of Canasta and Wizard. Play, play and more play.

I am sure there are tests done on your endorphins or some other scientific fact, that even looking forward to play or reflecting on your play, will give you new zest for life. I always liked Saturday as my play day. After a busy week, knowing I can coast into the weekend with some play, makes everything alright. Now, GO PLAY! 

Photo: Hiking beautiful BC in the Fraser Valley, Rolley Lake.