When did we forget how to play?

Couldn't find a pic with Urbans in it...

Anyone that knows me well knows that I am a big kid. I still watch cartoons and dare you to say something to me about it and I love games. I think my desire to work with the youth of our nation comes from the enjoyment of my childhood and wanting to make sure that all kids can have similar opportunities. Given this, when the opportunity to create a kickball team with one of the affinity groups that I am apart of came up, I jumped at the opportunity. Kickball is a game any and everyone can play, it’s still competitive and it’s a lot of fun!

This season has been somewhat of a struggle though in terms of getting people to  commit and fielding enough people on a game to game basis. I have heard every excuse in the book (from too busy to if it was another sport, I would play) and it got me to thinking: when did we forget how to be kids? When I say be kids, of course I do not mean literally, but it seems like the only thing that the latter half of my generation deems as fun is going to the bar, happy hour, club, etc., getting drunk, and not remembering the next day what happened. When did that youthful spirit disappear?

I miss activities like water wars, field days, dodge ball, etc. but these activities are best performed in groups. Looking at the generation to come, they are worse off than we are. They have video games and endless TV options, so you hardly ever see them outside. This is why I love organizations like Playworks, whose purpose is to put “play” back into recess for children. They need to create an adult playworks, maybe we would have less cranky, stuck up, and fat adults in the world.

So the next time someone invites you to come play, instead of making a bunch of excuses as to why you can’t do it…lace up some shoes, put on a t-shirt, and go kick a ball.