Play vs. Work

When I was a kid, it was hard for me to put away the fun and games and focus on work. School work, yard work, any kind of work. Those things just weren't very fun. Playing games or sports and hanging out with friends was a lot more fun. So my priorities were 1) play and 2) work.

Somewhere along the line in transitioning to adulthood, those priorities got switched. It's not that I enjoyed work more. I'm still a naturally lazy, fun-loving person. But the pressures of life, the recognition of the need for an education, the demands of professional employment, and maybe other factors combined to change how and where I focus my energies.

Work is an essential part of life and I'm glad those pressures are there to get me off my rear and doing something useful. But sometimes those pressures blind us to what's really important. Playing games or sports with my kids is a lot more useful than a lot of what I do at work. It shows them I love them, it builds positive relationships among us, and it's just a lot of fun.

There needs to be a balance in all we do in life. It's easy, as an adult, to get off balance and focus too much on work. Work is important; just don't forget to play.