The Joy Of Play

There's a video making it's rounds of the Internet that you may have seen.  A lecturer at the conference I attended last week had it in his presentation, and my father sent it to me today.



This is incredibly adorable and cute!  But I think it reminds us how important play is.  As adults we get so bogged down in our work, bills, and life troubles.  We wish we could be as free as our kids, and marvel at how much they enjoy playing.  Don't we forget to play enough? How many of us can just revel in the sheer joy of the moment?  We forget what even animals know.  As part of my degree in animal behavior I studied play behaviors.  One thing that surprised me is how universal certain stances and actions are across mammals.  Wide eyes, open mouth, a lowered front end, and a raised hind end indicate a desire to play in many different species.  Play is actually universal, and can be witnessed in many different kinds of animals.  Why do adult humans have to be the exception?

So take some time today to play.  You may not have a mud puddle to jump in, but you can find something.  Enjoy the day!