Blog 2379 – 04.30.2022

Children At Play

The old adage says, “All work and no play make Jack a very dull boy.” Somewhere along the line many of us have forgotten how to play, how to have fun, and how to enjoy life. Even thinking happy thoughts is something many have come to see as a waste of time. That is an odd expression, “waste of time.” What could possibly be a waste of time? Whatever are we going to do with all that time we have saved over the years? Boys and girls wanna have fun, but most adults are too busy “making a living” to live.

I have shared several times my take on a New Testament letter where the person writing says, “I have no greater joy than to hear of my children living in the truth.” James Moffatt had an interesting twist on his interpretation of the New Testament Greek in which the letter was originally written. Moffatt’s version reads, “I have no greater joy that to hear that my children are truly living.”

The pursuit of happiness (fun) is one of those inalienable rights that the writers of the U.S. Constitution believed important enough to to be listed with life and liberty. They were men to whom words were important and they used them so sparingly that they were forced to enumerate in ten amendments to the Constitution called The Bill of Rights several other important rights before they could get the required number of states to ratify it. Lawyers, judges, and politicians have had a field day arguing over those rights and still do, but the right to pursue happiness (fun) is seldom seriously debated because it is so core to what we are as humans.

Next time you are tempted to offer the standard adult advice “be careful” or “be safe” just for giggles try saying “have fun.” If you want your children and loved ones to do as you say, show them how to have fun, as an adult and if you have forgotten remember when we were children at play how without smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or spending a lot of money we had a great time playing the days away.

Your friend, fellow traveler, and playmate saying “Wanna come out and play”

David White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12u-VjGg82HE-cnCBLV6sk3TExkMmiEq0/view?usp=drivesdk

Seven