My grandson once said he liked being with me because I knew what he liked to do and I played with him. I ran up hills and rolled down hills. I played with water guns and yes, screamed like a girl. We swam together and wandered together. Our imaginations taking us to magical places.

I was once in Zellers with my granddaughter Maddy. She was about 8 years old and it was Halloween. All the “Press” dancing, howling, screaming mechanical dolls were out. Of course I love to play so I pressed lots of them. Maddy kept saying, “Grandma stop. You are making everyone look at us.” But then we were looking at costumes and I was going to open a package to feel the texture of the wig and she suddenly was extremely stressed and yelled, “Grandma stop. I am so embarrassed!”

I took her hand and we went into the mall court and sat down. I told her, “I like to play. I am not hurting anyone. I am making my heart smile. I am not breaking anything or making a mess. Why are you ashamed to let me play?”

“When my mom goes shopping she always opens all the packages and I am scared someone will say something or get mad at her. I hate it.” she cried.

I took a deep breath and replied, “Honey, your mom opens the packages because sometimes parts are missing, or it isn’t exactly what she wants to spend money on. You live about an hour away from a big store. If mom doesn’t check what’s in the box, it may have something missing or broken and she has to drive all the way back to the store to replace it. So that is why all kinds of people open packages in the store. I was just going to see how the costume wig felt so I would know if I could wear it. It is always okay to open a package as long as you put it all back after nicely. The stores understand that. Any questions?”

“No Grandma I get it. But I hate everyone looking at us!” she added.

“Do you know those people? Do you see them all the time? Do you know their names?” to which she shook her head no. “Then you shouldn’t care at all. As long as no one is being hurt. It really hurt my feelings when you were ashamed of me. I was just having fun. People are meant to have fun. I love to have fun and I don’t care if someone gives me a grumpy look. I just feel bad for them because they don’t know how to have fun. Lots of people were laughing with us and smiling. You have to smile with them too. It’s time for us to walk to the movie theatre. Do you still want to be with me or are you embarrassed?” She smiled, nodded yes and gave me a big hug.

In the parking lot between the mall and the theatre I suddenly twirled a few time. “Grandma!!! What are you doing?” Maddy laughed.

“I am having fun and being silly!! I don’t know anyone who is here. I am happy. Come twirl with me Maddy!!!” She laughed and twirled with me. Then we laughed some more.

The old saying of dance like no one is watching is really true. Do all the things you want to do. I love darts and bowling, but I am more a source of entertainment for my friends because I’m lucky if I get a pin down with all the gutter balls or all three darts in the board. But I have fun. I sing at karaoke when I can’t sing. I dance when no two steps are the same. In the last ten years I have jumped on a trampoline, flipped a kayak, went white water rafting, and went sledding. I have climbed mountains and splashed in the lake.

It’s not always pretty but I think it’s because I didn’t have any kids my age to play with as a kid. I want to play with water, paint, and chalk outside. I want to build sandcastles and snow scuptures.

So get out and play. You don’t have to care what it looks like. You don’t have to care what others think. If you are having fun you are taking care of your heart, mind, and body. Part of loving yourself is to love what you do. Most of us don’t “love” our jobs so it’s really important to love your fun time. I work in a daycare with 2-5 year olds so it’s my dream job. I play all day while they learn all the skills they need to have fun and be healthy.

At playgrounds I have swung on swings. I have teetered on seesaws. I have slid down slides. I did discover at parks that other children would gather to play chase or slide with my grandchild and I. Kids love adults to join them. I have watched their parents or grandparents sitting on the bench watching them, some on their phones. They look up and smile but no one joins us. It is better in the last 5-10 years than it was, but some still would rather play with their phones than their children. And that is sad. My grandkids will always remember that we went and played. I played. I didn’t just watch. I may have looked silly to those adults sitting on the benches, but I didn’t care. I love playing.

May I be safe. May I be healthy. May I be happy. May I live with ease.