BeMeBetter at Fun and Recreation

This is an area that can be, and often is, so easily overlooked in our lives. In our fast-paced society, we hear the messages of “work hard, get ahead, be a winner, etc”. While all of these are good values, they must not be overdone at the expense of enjoying other parts and people in our lives. As the saying goes “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. This is certainly true. Let us consider the word “recreation” literally. That is to say, we recreate something, in this case, ourselves. In other words, we all need to just play and let the kid out on a regular basis. It is great therapy for our minds, it recharges our batteries and keeps us reminded that life can be fun if we dedicate some time to making it that way. Although competing in sports and other activities is a great way to engage yourself and others in your activity, having to compete and win in all our recreational activities is unhealthy. Sometimes we should engage in recreation purely for the joy of it. Recreation can also be what we sometimes call “doing nothing”. Not only is it ok to nap, lounge or enjoy entertainment for its own sake, it can be good for the soul. Finally, we can look at how completely we give ourselves to fun and recreation. When we are doing these activities, are we totally focused on them, or is our mind preoccupied with work or the to do list at home, etc., When we play, we should be playing with all the enthusiasm of a child on recess. Because that’s exactly what it is; it’s recess from our responsibilities.