Less social media, more play

I recently muted a bunch of folks on Twitter, and hit the 30-day snooze on a bunch more on Facebook.  I joined these platforms to engage, connect, learn and share, and not to have my feed filled with foul language, judgmental comments, cruel, condescending, and downright inappropriate comments on, well, just about everything.  I cannot take having to wade through a string of stats on COVID case counts, hospitalizations and deaths, and judgy 'I know better' comments to get to the stuff that offers perspective, some humour, insight, and good and worthy distraction.  

More joy.  The muting and snoozing is because I want more of what makes me smile and less of what makes me sad.   

In a 2020 blog post, I introduced you to a warrior princess who unknowingly brought a very restorative and therapeutic flavour to part of my day. I'm lucky to spend time with her fairly regularly, and if it's a day that's started cold and cloudy it never ends that way if she's been part of it.  I've had two of those days with her this month already.

And now she is 6. Still kind and caring, still totally outrageous, and still moving through life with a sense of purpose and determination, and with an opinion on just about everything. It's accompanied by a vocabulary, depth of perception and soulfulness that is all at once captivating and entertaining.  

Today I knew enough to take out an extra box of Kraft Dinner for lunch.... and we were off!  In the end, the books, the crafts, and plans to go outside and investigate the neighborhood were all forgotten and replaced by conversation about Lego, families, neighbours, school, and plans for the time a sleepover might be possible- all while absorbed in a puzzle and over several cups of tea.  I also got trounced in Go Fish.  As she left, the sun came out and I bundled up to walk in the last few minutes of daylight feeling restored once again and grateful for having connected with my own inner 6 year old. 

For a few hours there was no stress, no COVID, and no worry. And definitely no Twitter or Facebook.  I was reminded that the work, the reading, the reports and the day-to-day demands and responsibilities can be put on the back-burner with no repercussions, easily and happily replaced by silliness, play and fun.  

'The soul is healed by being with children.' - Fyodor Dostoevsky