You will find more happiness growing down than up. —Unknown

There’s more to playing than just having fun, though that’s important too! Many of us are just too serious. We seldom have laugh-out-loud fun. Playtime helps us physically and mentally by allowing us to exercise and be creative. Our imagination can be stimulated through a childlike recess. Physical exercise can release hormones in our bodies that create a feeling of euphoria (similar to the process that occurs during sex!). These hormones are also used to block pain. On top of it all, having fun burns calories and helps us to temporarily ignore our troubles.

Recently I attended a Girls Night In get-together at a friend’s home. It was so much fun to let lose and laugh! At one point, we all put on belly-dancing skirts and, well, got jiggy-with-it! The older I get, the more I want to play. Even at the ripe old age of fifty-two, if there’s a trampoline nearby, I’m on it!

When my son, Rocco, was growing up, I was the parent who was down on her knees crawling through the hamster-wheel-like play centers. First of all, I wanted to keep an eye on him, but it was also too much darn fun.

Here are a few things you can do to play today:

• Turn on music and dance.
• Go to a park and climb on the monkey bars.
• Play with your dog.
• Ride a bike.
• Jump on a trampoline.

What did you do for your playtime today?