My Twitter feed is filling up with two groups. The first is on a passionate quest to capture Pokemon while the second is mocking these nerdy quests with statements like,
"these are grown people, right?" or
"do they realize how stupid they look chasing make believe monsters?"
" how fool they played by a game ! "
And ow, I just want to clarify, I’m not into the Pokemon Go (though I have a hunch my nephew will be asking about it). However, when I look at the two groups, I see a choice between being playfully enthusiastic versus or caustically pessimistic. To be honest, I’d rather be with the group that’s playing. They look like they are having fun. And that’s a good thing, because after this last month, my heart feels heavy and the world seems so broken with full of shit. Maybe we need a little play in our world.
My mind seems bothered by the way people mock grown-ups for enjoying it. After all, grown people regularly dress up in face paint to watch people throw balls back and forth. They even listen to talk shows that talk about the grown people playing games together. As an avid sports fan, I love the narrative power of sports. I also love the narrative power of Pixar movies and I enjoy reading Travel Magazine.
And here's the thing what i actually think about their views : whether it's picture books or Pokemon Go or building Lego house or playing with Play Dough, there is no expiration date on play. Being an adult means loving sacrificially, taking care of one's family, refining one’s craft in a profession. It has nothing to do with abandoning fun.
My conclusion is
Growing up doesn’t have to mean growing old.