No. 63 Play's the Thing

Facilitator______________
Date___________________

Group Session Plan from FUSN (adapted from San Jose materials by Faith Kreider)

Chalice/Candle Lighting

Opening Words:

"Play is the exultation of the possible." Martin Buber

"It is a happy talent to know how to play." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing."
Oliver Wendell Holmes

"We recreate to live." John Kelly, Leisure

"Work and play are rooted in the very nature of beings. If the universe itself is not playful and creative, then how could creativity arise in human beings?" David Fiedler

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." James Howell

O God of Work and Leisure
Teach me to shirk on occasion,
Not only that I may work more effectively
But also that I may enjoy life more abundantly.
Enable me to understand that the earth
Magically continues spinning on its axis
Even when I am not tending the vineyards.
Permit me to breathe more easily
Knowing the destiny of the race
Rests not on my shoulders alone.
Deliver me from false prophets who urge me
To "repent and shirk no more."
I pray for grace on me,
The faithful shirker.
Richard S. Gilbert, In the Holy Quiet of This House

Check-in/Sharing

Topic/Activity:
Play is most certainly an exercise of the spirit. Many would go further - arguing that play is actually a spiritual activity. One of the appealing aspects of play is its focus on being in the moment. Play leaves little space for self-consciousness or preoccupation, whether of intellect or emotions. Can you remember what playing meant to you as a child? Describe the play of your childhood. Or describe a kind of play that is a part of your life now and explain why and how you think it nourishes your spirit.

Select the topic and location for the next meeting

Check-out

Closing Words:

May I remember to keep my face to the sun,
To play, laugh, and experience joy whenever possible,
To celebrate the world and my fellow human beings,
To say YES! to life each day.
James Madison Barr