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When’s the last time you did something for the fun of it?

Not something productive disguised as fun, like a friend of mine who cleaned out her closets during the current coronavirus quarantine, found a bunch of 1980’s pictures in the back, and posted them on Facebook.

Alright, that was kinda fun.  Those hairstyles!  Who are we kidding?

What’s your definition of fun?

I mean FUN! 

Where nothing gets accomplished. 

An experience just for the sheer delight of it.

I think in many cases we have tried to maintain a normal semblance of life through all of this.

That’s good. 

It’s necessary. 

But it’s getting hard.

Based on the feedback I’m getting (as well as the dialogue in my own head), I think it’s time to take a look at how we are feeling and decide if and when we would benefit from a play break.

It might also be time to ask, who needs to give me permission to play?  

Oh wait, that’s me! And that’s you.

There is very little for me to gain in telling you this other than the joy of encouraging you to go out and have fun, (in fact, I might lose what remains of my reputation as a sane person), but I’d like to tell you a quick story. 

Maybe it will encourage you to give yourself permission to play. 

The people in your life might be glad that you did.

I guarantee that YOU will be glad you did!

So, a couple of days ago, I was tired from pretending I could do business as normal and I took a recess break.

A walk sounded good.   A walk with music playing in my headphones, alone, wherever I wanted. 

6 feet away from other people, naturally.

Because I recognized that I needed to refill my tank, I turned to my faith. 

My faith is my foundation, and I had minimized its importance too long in the quest to get work done.

What’s your foundation? Are you letting it support you through this?

I found a Spotify playlist called “Top Chrisitan” and started listening while I walked. 

I tried to stop thinking about everything in the news, all of the fears and worries that had been plaguing me, and instead tuned in to the truth in the songs.

I got out of my head and started noticing things:

• the amazing patterns in the clouds,
• the buds forming on the trees,
• the wild raspberry vines just waiting to produce fruit,
• and the sound of spring frogs in the swamp.

Before long, I was bopping along to the music.

There I was, probably looking pretty suspicious:  all alone, unintentionally dressed in all black other than my bright purple shoes, really starting to let go and have fun on the edge of the road. 

The music got better and better.

It was getting more fun by the minute!

The best part was when this song came on.

I don’t know what it was… maybe I was:

• relieved to forget about the news, 
• thankful to be outside,
• energized by the freedom,
• swept up in the power in the lyrics,
• or a combination of all of the above…

but before the first verse could finish, I was dancing.  

I thought I was going to take a walk, but the little kid in me who was so happy to have permission to play at last had a much better idea.

So I danced down that road with everything I had.

I was hopping and skipping and bending and jumping, arms waving, sweaty, out of breath, and so crazy joyful about it.

I didn’t care what anyone thought. 

It wasn’t for them. 

It was for me.

I was smiling deeply on the outside and the inside.

I danced until the last note played and I loved every second of it.

Did anyone drive by?

I have no idea.  All I know for sure is I HAD FUN!

If you passed by… I’m not going to apologize for my behavior.

But I will say YOU’RE WELCOME for the laugh!

You too, can – and should – give yourself permission to play.

One last thing. 

As is the case for many others, being home so much means having time to finally address things that I couldn’t decide what to do with. 

If you want something fun to think about that’s completely unrelated to COVID-19, here is my favorite gag gift from Christmas, courtesy of my nieces. This is even better than the $2 bottle of coon urine I gave my sister.

Anyone else have some of these awesome things?

Be well, friends.

And have fun while you’re doing it!