The joy of play

So my daily meditations flippy thing had something that stuck with me yesterday:

"The real joy of life is in its play. Play is anything we do for the joy and love of doing it, apart from any profit, compulsion, or sense of duty. It is the real living of life with the feeling of freedom and self-expression. Play is the business of childhood, and its continuation in later years is the prolongation of youth."

As I was drafting some emails lately to try and encourage some people who were down, I found myself saying the same things over and over again. Despite the fact that each of their situations was different - the conclusions that I came to were the same and also what I need sometimes as well.

It really is about enjoying what you do. Because if there's no joy in it, then why do it? This can apply to any number of things - work, ministry, sports, art, music...whatever. One thing that Sr told me during my recent meltdown was that I had to come ready to work out - wanting to work out. That when I was so stressed out and worried and thinking too much, that it builds on each other and restricts the good stuff from flowing out of my sparring.

"We would be perfectly happy if you chose not to compete. In fact, it would be easier for us. We have a dozen other things that we put aside to train you every night."

"Well...would you prefer that I stopped competing?"

"NO! Because you haven't reached your full potential yet."

"Well it makes me feel like a burden that I'm causing you to sacrifice to come in for me when it'd be easier not to."

"It's not a burden - all we want from you is that you come ready to work out, and that you train hard. Kick as hard as you can and show us your best - that's what makes us happy."

It wasn't until I read the little quote thing that it really sank in. All this winning and losing and making Team and not disappointing them aside...it all boils down to one thing. We're here because we love to be here. Because it feels good to sweat and kick and move and yell. There is joy in bringing out the best in another, and there is joy in the rewards of hard work. Anxiety over the outcome shouldn't impede that. And when there is joy, there is heart - when there is heart, there is freedom - and when there is freedom, there's a natural flow of your best.

6 years after I first made this realization, I find myself revisiting it over and over again.

Life is about the journey, not the destination. May it be a joyful journey.