My lovely wife and I have spent the better part of the last week in Montana with our adult offspring in Missoula and Livingston; we’ve walked, talked, hiked, and dined (mostly on great food we’ve cooked at home) under the Big Sky, soaking up the sunshine and commiserating over the bizarre summer in which we find ourselves these days.
Our family in Livingston, son Jake and daughter-in-law Kaitlyn are the proud parents of Brantley, a just turned two grandson who is a whirlwind of energy and eager explorer of the amazing natural world that he inhabits in Montana. Their home in the “old town” section of Livingston is roughly two blocks from the banks of one of the channels of the mighty Yellowstone River very near when it turns east for its run across central Montana.
Watching Brantley, and playing with him the past several days, has been a great reminder of the importance of play, and how play needn’t be nearly as complicated, planned, and orchestrated as we adults tend to make it.
One of our dearest family mentors (Ed) has taught us many things over the years; one of his favorite diatribes was a near daily reminder that we should always be learning something new each and every day, with a corollary principle being that whenever given the chance, we should all learn from those who are experts (or great teachers) in our area of interest.
Hanging with Brantley these past few days has convinced me that we should all find a young child to fill the roll of an expert mentor in the world of play, rejuvenating our abilities to enjoy the moment, innovate (dare I say even pretend a bit) to enjoy the friends, families, and things we have at hand, and simply enjoy being alive in the sun today.
Don’t have a grandchild of your own? Borrow one – I can almost guarantee there’s a harried mom in your acquaintance that would love to have you stop by and play with her charge(s) for an hour or two.
It’s time to find a new play mentor today.
Leave a Reply