Playing Give and Take

Yesterday the boys and I walked to the park - not an entirely out of the ordinary thing for us. They organized themselves into a make-shift game where one would climb the ladder while the other climbed the slide, then the ladder-climber would slide down the slide attempting to bring the slide-climber down with him. While I watched them play I couldn't stop smiling - and then thinking - of course.

We all hear about how good play is for kids - how it's necessary, helps with socialization, mental health, physical literacy - it's essential. But I often think about how good it is for me too. There is little better for my mood than a walk. It brightens my mood, calms me down, eases my mind. It helps me to be a better mom, a better wife, a better human in general. It's where I collect my thoughts and make sense of things. It's also the byproduct of taking my kids out to play.
The more I thought about this the more it made so much sense.

When we give our kids room to play - whether that is taking them to the park, out in the backyard, whatever - it gives us room to play too. And the more room we can give the better. Yesterday Stetson ran straight into the little creek, of course, in his running shoes. He proceeded to the park, removed his shoes, and continued to play in his soaking wet sock-feet. Now I am a particular breed of laid-back with these things, but I'd urge anyone to give it a go. It was a little chilly and I considered hollering at him to put his shoes back on and then I thought about it. I remembered what it was like to run through puddles, to play sock-feet, to not notice the chill in the air because you're too busy having fun. And instead of making him put his shoes back on I just let him play.

Play is a funny thing, it relates to so many other things in life. While I relaxed, watching the boys play, I thought about the room to play that I am given in my life. This last year has been an incredible year - hard, full, delightful, rewarding, stretching. I've spent a lot of time focused on who I want to be as a leader and how I want to show up.

I've worked (and still am working) on being a leader that doesn't do it all by myself. This one is tough. I grew up being told I was a leader and as I grew with this notion in my head it took on a slightly different meaning. I've spent a lot of time thinking that if I am a leader I must do it all myself. This year I have experienced myself and witnessed the magic that happens when people have room to play. Just like my kids playing outside, I saw myself grow, rise up, produce, and gain confidence when I was given room to play. To the leaders in my life - thank you. I hope you all know just how much it means to me to be given room to play. I am in a role that inspires me, pushes me, and gives me a sense of purpose - I know half of that is because of the freedom to play that we are granted at Vivo.

And like the leaders that I admire, I have worked to give others room to play. It's hard to let go, hard to not feel like I need to do everything myself but every time I let go, every time I make room to play for someone else the results are incredible. I am so grateful to have a team of amazing humans that believe in what we are doing and make the most of their room to play. Thank you for always showing up, making the most of your room to play, and reinforcing the strength that there is in the freedom to create.

If I've learned one thing since becoming a parent it's that kids have the ability to innocently teach us so much. Giving my boys room to play has been one of the greatest gifts and it's no surprise that our learnings through play apply to so many other areas of life. Playing is give and take - it means giving freedoms that might push you out of your comfort zone, it means choosing play, it means slowing down and letting go of schedules. It also means resetting, reflecting, releasing, and reliving joy. I hope you get room to play today.

- lovefrommaria