Reconnecting with the "play" of childhood can remind us that we never were really supposed to grow out of it.
Of course, there are "adult" toys that we tend to believe are just the grown up versions of toys (e.g., fancy cars, fancy phones). But I am not so sure those are exactly the same.
What do you think is beautiful about watch children play with their toys - plastic pieces, magnets, dolls, doll houses, etc?
What I see this morning again is their pure and true imagination in those things. As an adult, I only see the million little plastic pieces that will eventually need to be cleaned up. When I try to remember what it is like in childhood, there is an entire world created around a Lego car and gas station I just completed building.
I pray in thanksgiving for the gift of play in children's lives, as it seems to be the core of their creative energy. I pray they not only never lose that, but that the core grows exponentially as they grow. And I pray that I may be more frequently reminded of the gift of play and find the opportunities to play every day.
