Have you ever wondered why books don’t start with the words: THE BEGINNING? We all take such joy in typing THE END on that very last page.
Maybe the reason we don’t start with THE BEGINNING is because life doesn’t work that way. Often we don’t realize an event was a beginning until long after the story is completely in motion. This week, I had the privilege of witnessing a beginning, though, and the most fun part was the realization that I was at the beginning of something very special.
I am passionate about teaching. I’ve worked with thousands of young people on theatrical productions and creative writing, but this week, for nearly the first time, I began a creative writing class for adults. I approach all my teaching with a playful style, and maybe that’s why I’ve directed my attention at young people who are more open to “getting out of their seats and moving around the room,” or using colored markers and index cards to plot a book. The fact is, many adults are hesitant to let loose and play. Yet, the power of play is powerful for adults, maybe even more than it is for young people.
Young people are often in situations in classrooms or after school classes where they are asked to interact playfully. This is not the case for adults, and so when adults are given the green light to play, amazing discoveries ensue. We all know the feeling of being stuck, of having looked at a project so long that we simply can’t see it anymore. A game provides a new lens through which to look, and a new hopeful perspective too. The questions shift. “What should I do?” and “What’s the right answer?” become “What could I do?” and “What’s a possible answer?” This change may seem small, but the implications are huge. We don’t have to be right or perfect or efficient. We can just play with ideas and see what emerges.
I asked the ladies in my class how they felt after our hour an a half. They said, “I can’t believe how much I got done! I can’t believe how much new perspective I have!” Through play, we let go of our need to be grown up and serious and careful, and somehow we made strides we hadn’t been able to make otherwise.
I’ve been listening to a new book by Brene Brown called Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead. In this book, Brene Brown shares reflections on her research on wholehearted living, on how vulnerability is essential for all people, and how shame affects all of us (whether we’re willing to admit it or not). What I’m realizing is that what I saw firsthand in my class, and what I’m hearing Brene detail from her research, all matches up with my own life experience. Opening up to experiences that make us feel vulnerable is terrifying, and yet one can’t be creative (or even fully human) without these experiences. Play is key. When we play, we shift into a mode where vulnerability is simply part of the game. We bypass our grown up critic who tells us that we might ruin our idea or humiliate ourselves by trying something at which we’re not sure we can succeed. We tap into that child we carry with us all the time, the child who loves to laugh and be messy and try new things and learn and who knows the delicious joy of discovery.
So, what do I think is beginning? Something exciting. Something huge and important. It starts with me. I’m learning that not only is learning to be vulnerable and play important for my life, it’s important for others. Not just children. Adults too. Artists. All people. I think I’m realizing what I need to start shouting from the mountaintops and what I need to share with anyone who will listen. You’re feeling stuck? Let’s play. And not in a way that diminishes the difficulty of what’s going on. Not in a naive way. Play might be one of the very most important things that a person can do. The strange thing is, the only way to play is to be willing to be silly and let go of expectations. Stuart Brown MD, founder of the National Institute for Play, insists that true play is “apparently purposeless.” The point is, you can’t create a five point plan or set a timer and tally up results afterward. You’ve just got to let go. Just play.
And in the meantime, read these amazing books by these visionary thinkers. Their research and insights will transform your daily life.
