Part of reconnecting with our inner child in recovery is learning how to play again. In our She Recovers community, we've tossed around the idea of having a She Recovers summer camp so that we can all come together and learn or relearn how to play, to practice being carefree and joyous.
I can picture it now: splashing and swimming in a lake, making crafts, and playing camp games. One day, that camp will be a reality, but for now, we need to find other ways to embrace play.
My little grandson is a great teacher in this area. That boy laughs and plays by himself for hours at a time.
He plays with cups and a Paw Patrol figure for hours in the bathtub, or with a shovel and pail at the beach, mindfully filling the pail with sand, dumping it out, and starting again. He is partial to trucks these days, but stacking books one upon the other is also a favorite pastime.
It occurs to me as I write this that I am often more an observer than a participant in this little guy's play. I'm going to change that.