Apparently, grown-ups need recess.
Next week, New York’s Hudson Yards is hosting an “Adult Recess” event. Meanwhile, The New Yorker recently explored why adults are playing with toys—building LEGO sets, embracing stuffed animals, and rediscovering things they once loved.
My first reaction? Sounds fun.
My second? When did we start needing permission to have fun?
Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that our time should accomplish something. And so we exercise to stay healthy, read to stay informed, and take up hobbies to keep our minds sharp. Even relaxation gets an assignment: help us recharge so we can get back to work.
But what about doing something simply because we enjoy it?
This week, we begin the Torah all over again, starting with the creation story. Gd notices over and over again that what has been created is “good.” After Gd causes trees to grow, the Torah tells us they are “pleasing to the sight and good for food” (Genesis 2:9). The trees feed us, but they’re also there to be enjoyed. From the beginning, there has been room for more than getting things done.
How often do we make room for that kind of enjoyment? A moment to appreciate something without immediately asking what comes next, what it accomplishes, or whether we should be doing something more useful?
I’m not suggesting that the creation story commands us to buy a LEGO set. Although, if you’ve been looking for rabbinic encouragement, consider yourself encouraged.
I am suggesting that we make a little room for something that doesn’t need a practical explanation. Stop to admire a beautiful tree. Play a game. Make something gloriously imperfect. Dance in the kitchen. Be ridiculous with someone you love.
You don’t have to be good at it. You don’t have to post it. You don’t have to turn it into a side business. You might simply find yourself smiling and thinking, “This is good,” just like Gd did at creation.
We have plenty of serious responsibilities. They’ll still be there after a round of charades.
As we return to the beginning of the Torah, perhaps we can reclaim something from our own beginnings: the ability to play without wondering whether we’ve earned it.
Who’s ready for recess?
Leave a Reply