Welcome to the last day of Summer here
in the Northern Hemisphere! The start of
the Fall season is upon us. The kids are
back in school , summer vacations are
over. As I write this, I'm sitting
oceanside, at the beach at my favorite
Jersey shore town, soaking up the
fleeting rays of summer sunshine. It's a
gorgeous afternoon: clear blue skies,
light wind, temperatures in the low 70's
and the summer crowds have pretty much
disappeared. A change is in the air.
Even as I earnestly get re-immersed in
work and recreation time dwindles, I am
bound and determined to make sure I set
aside daily time for outdoor play, even
if it's just skipping like a kid to the
end of the long driveway to fetch the
mail. AS a proud member of the Baby
Boomer generation growing up in the 50's
and 60's; that's what we thrived on as
kids-the delicious freedom of outdoor
play, no matter what the season was. And
that's still a strong and important
value for me.
Nowadays, news clips abound about kids
who are not getting enough outdoor play.
Many are immersed in their
overly-organized lives, coupled with the
proliferation of computers, TVs', cell
phones, and video games; the idea of
goofing off outdoors is lost.
I recently read a New York Times article
stating research that shows that most
American children spend 6.5 hours a day
with electronic media which has replaced
going out to play. The same research
shows that there is a "direct line
between play deficiencies and some
frightening public health and social
trends...with statistics pointing at
increased obesity, ADHD, an increase in
childhood depression and classroom
behavioral problems. " The article
further stated that "play deprived
adults are often rigid, humorless,
inflexible, and closed to trying out new
options. " That's pretty scary stuff!
The bottom line here is that play
(especially outdoor play) is in short
supply for many kids and adults alike.
On a vacation in August in the beautiful
NY Adirondacks, my husband Robert and I
saw a great sign that said "Friends
Don't Let Friends Stay Inside" . I love
that! (AND, I so agree!)
So, even as the days grow shorter and
work time increases, I am absolutely
going to be intentional about some
healthy and valuable "goof-off" time
outdoors. And, I'm going to encourage
you, my friends, to do the same. Upon
doing so, no doubt, we will each feel
re-invigorated, refreshed, and back in
touch with the true and simple joys of
life.
