Game On!‎

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It’s a choice.

What is it that you see just around the corner? Is it bad ‎hair days or unfolding opportunities? Go ahead and dress up the grey ‎if that's what feels good. The clock may say “quarter to senior” but ‎deep inside the child within thrives.‎

Childhood memories are distant and faded. Piece by piece I gather ‎them to create a likeness of what was. Today as I recalled forgotten ‎days, I began to remember my favorite pastimes.‎

I was nine when we moved from the busy hub of California to the ‎boondocks of Canada. As I entered the fourth grade, I found myself ‎living on a forty acre farm. My school was but a two roomed school ‎house much like the one on “Little House on the Prairie” (coincidently ‎one of my favorite TV shows). Unlike Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family, mine ‎didn’t grow much, just us kids, a couple of horses, dogs and some cats. ‎A hobby farm for my scholarly parents, but for me it was a world to be ‎explored.‎

Both the school playground and our farm were bordered by groves of ‎trees. My fondest memories were bound in logs, rope and plywood ‎tied to the trees. I was an explorer; adventures were mine for the ‎making. With artisan’s tools as my toys, I built forts hidden within the ‎woods. ‎

It was Frontierland on the outside and Adventureland in the inside. I ‎read with a voracious passion andI found myself lost deep between the ‎lines of print, living others’ lives vicariously. ‎

The rest of the time I was to be found on the back of my trust steeds: ‎Pony, Tami and my hot pink “Banana-Bike”. My school was just down ‎the way so I was able to ride my bike to school when the weather ‎cooperated. If my brothers and I were looking for a longer adventure, ‎we would make a beeline for the neighborhood store (about 10 km ‎away).‎

In retrospect, it was a fertile farm of dreams. Lost at play, in Ever Ever ‎Land the impossible became possible.‎

Why did I ever want to grow up?‎

As the years past, I found myself in a grown up world. Have you ever ‎met those poor creatures of Busy Busy Land? There is no time ever to ‎spare; work never ends.

Play? Absolutely not! There is still ever so ‎much that needs to be done…‎

Neoteny is the retention of immature qualities into adulthood. Of all ‎of the creatures to roam this planet, we are the most youthful, and ‎flexible of all. This exceptional ability allows us to preserve our vitality ‎while granting us the flexibility to adapt to the changing realities of ‎our lives.‎

Game On!‎

Did you know that playtime is auspicious time?! The rewards of ‎play are abundant and they include:‎

♦ Promoting health. Play induces laughter, releases tension, ‎improves vascular health and lowers inflammation.‎
♦ Inciting creativity. Play activates pleasure centers which aid in ‎problem solving.‎
♦ Creating movement. With play we suddenly become unstuck ‎and are able to think outside of the box.‎
♦ Fostering mindfulness. There is only one place where we can find ‎happiness and that is being 100% in the here and now.‎
♦ Connecting us. Play builds connections, love and a sense of ‎belonging. Along the way play also lowers depression.‎

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Once again I returned in high spirits from my bike ride. My hydration ‎pack may have been running on empty but I was high on vitality, ‎connected to the moment and in awe of my body: every breath in complete with happiness and delight.

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A perfect combination of a hot ‎summer ride, a cold dip in an ancient well and the power of the many ‎of one was the force behind the solid bear hug of…

Another Beautiful Day! ‎

‎ If we don’t take time to play, we face a joyless life of rigidity, lacking ‎in creativity. The opposite of play isn’t work, but depression. If we’re ‎going to adapt to changing economic and personal circumstances the ‎way that nature armed us to do, then we have to find ourselves ‎having some play time virtually every day.‎ ‎~ Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan, Play: How It ‎Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul


I am happy to report that it is possible to recreate and upgrade the ‎familiar tastes of our youth (or in this case the youth of my husband). ‎May I present you with a tastier and healthier version of rice ‎pudding…‎

Rice Pudding – An upgraded version

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Ingredients:

‎1 c whole cooked risotto rice
‎2 t coconut oil
‎¼ c coconut milk
‎1 T maple syrup‎
Pinch of salt

Topping:

Nuts to taste
Dried fruit to taste

Rice Preparation:

Soak rice overnight in warm water with a bit of apple cider vinegar.‎
The next day rinse the rice well.‎
Cook the rice in cold water (as you would cook pasta) at a low heat for ‎about 15 minutes until the rice is ready (it should be cooked “Al ‎Dente” or be firm to the bite).‎

Rice Pudding Preparation:

Pour all of the ingredients over the rice and top with nuts and dried ‎fruit.‎

Bon Appétit!‎


‎ ‎I would like to thank you for your patience in reading this post to its end.‎

If you liked what you read and you are not on my mailing list, you can sign up ‎here.‎

Finally I would like to request that you please share my post which precedes the ‎release of my animated clip (soon, I promise). I am so excited! Please share this ‎post…

Thank you and have a great week!‎

HBNE

You tell your future! The power is ours!

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Hila Gozani
Hila Gozani
9 years ago

If you call on me and I am not around, chances are that I am hard at play 🙂

Ruthie
Ruthie
9 years ago

Play is the work of a child and the greatest learning tool ~Piaget.
It continues to be important as a stress reducer and physical necessity as we grow older and, of course, wiser!
Thank you for reminding us all sweetheart❤️?