We are wired for play

The BEST thought I found this week.

A cartoon

A thought

I’m enjoying the book The House That Joy Built by

Holly Ringland

. She is responsible for a few paragraphs that made my brain spark with the best news I’ve heard all week.

“Fear is in our wiring. And so is play.”

She defines play as “an intrinsically motivated thing that animals and humans do for fun.” We do it, not to directly improve our survival but but to learn about our own limits and abilities.

“Playfulness is incredibly important for the profound effect it can have on our lives, and others. So much of what we crave - connectedness, a sense of meaning and purpose, belonging - starts with play. It is through play that we learn and become curious. Curiosity feeds our ability to stay open - to ourselves and the world. Openness stimulates the powers of observation and the ability to pay attention, to feel awe and wonder at the miraculous moments in our everyday lives. When we engage in play it not only brings us joy, but teaches us with profound power how we can learn and practice resilience and meet our fears.”

This is the single best piece of news I have heard about the chaos and meta-crisis swirling around us. The solution, the consciousness shifts required are started by play. The resilience we need to co-create the solutions starts with play. The peace and cooperation we need start with play.

I am brimming with the possibilities that appear when we frame fear and play as opposite sides of the same coin.

Shmuel and Bruno knew this in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. We would do well to listen.

What are you waiting for?? GO PLAY!!

Ok, I admit, I’m not great at play - I’m so used to taking myself too seriously, but heck it sounds like a fun thing to practice! What will you play at today?

By the way, how beautiful is the book cover…

Glimmers and sparks*

My glimmers for today are:

• Recycling a trailer full of metal waste from around the farm and appreciating a functional resource reclamation system.

• A ripper of a sunset last night, I think there is smoke from control burns in the air.

• School holidays!! I love the relaxation of rigid timetables.

Li’l bean is your reminder to pause and ask: What are your glimmers for today?

From your friend and your small, steadfast companion,

*Drawing Li’l Bean helped me navigate out of a period of depression in 2023. A good friend 13, 595km away, helped, too, through a ritual of swapping daily glimmers via text.

A glimmer is a tiny spark of hope, enthusiasm or joy that lifts your heart. By helping me find three glimmers each day, she gently helped me see the joy and beauty already around me.

I’d like to share this practice with you and invite you to reflect on your glimmers for the day when you read this. Think of Li’l Bean as a reminder to notice the glimmers and sparks in your life. We’d love it if you would like to share your glimmers in the comments.