My Connection to Play

You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.  Plato

I believe that those boys who take part in rough, hard play outside of school will not find any need for horse-play in school. Theodore Roosevelt

Softball was a part of my life, that I have not figured out how to get over. Playing an organized sport has taught me so much about myself and life.

My mother always made sure I was well rounded. As much time as I spent outside, she made sure I spent just as much inside playing and learning in all different ways.

I am the yourngest of 3 and the only girl. My brothers were "required" to play with me, but all of our play time was special and taught me the importance of family.

When I was younger, if I wasn’t playing softball somewhere with my friends, I was always outside playing with my friends on the streets. We knew we had a curfew and  if we went further than the bushes on the street, like to sonic for ice cream, or 7 eleven for can, we all would have to get permission. So it’s like we had a type of freedom outside, yet our parents made sure they knew at all times where we were.

In today’s sense of play, it has completely changed. There is so much for technology out, that allows for a make shift babysitter for most homes, that the only time kids get to or will play outside is while at school during the day. I also think that our society is different than that of my day. There is no type of comfort letting your child play outside, knowing that they will be safe. People are taking children, and there is a lot more drunk driving. Play inside seems more safe than allowing them to go outside.

The role of play for me is really important. It allows me to become creative and more comprehensive. Most days I spend my time behind a computer either working or doing homework. So it is refreshing for me to be able to get up and walk to the park across from my job and do a little swinging. It gives me fresh air and it always seems the higher I swing the more I smile and the stress of the days somewhat go away. That is how play has been for me throughout my life. It creates a time for me to do something that just lets me be from all the worries of the world. Playing slow pitch softball as a child growing up into adulthood has been the best thing for me. Not only does it create play for me to understand myself, but created a type of play that I created with my teammates. I was given the opportunity to learn them and myself. Now that I am older, I still play a lot of softball, and it’s different for me yet still the same. I love traveling with my teammates, to different cities and showcasing my talents, and just being outside to get fresh air and learn from others and learn myself. I feel like that is the key component of play. Learning….