Why was I
happy? Because one of the contributors to the book is my friend and colleague
Annabelle van Nieuwkoop-Read and anything that she is part of has to be good.
Annabelle
writes a chapter called Meaningful Messabout where she explores the importance
of letting our children play freely, including taking risks, and letting the
inner child in ourselves as adults be free. There are two separate issues here:
playing as children and play in adulthood.
She is
right to insist that our children grow healthy by taking risks and that a few
scratches and bruises are worth the price if it makes our children strong and
resilient. Numerous writers are expressing concern about the current generation
of youth who are reluctant to face challenges, be they emotional, philosophical
or physical. You only have to google Why is everyone so sensitive these days to
find a plethora of articles. One of the most recurrent themes is that children
who were kept indoors and prohibited by anxious parents from playing in the
street or local outdoor spaces, typical of the early 2000´s, are now at
universities and colleges where they find themselves unwilling to accept
criticism or correction because they see it as a personal attack. The rough and
tumble of early childhood knockabout is a vital preparation for young adult
life. If we don´t learn that we cannot have everything our own way as children,
how are we to deal with setbacks in adulthood?
One of the many
great things about the Netherlands is that adults are actively engaged in play:
adults typically arrange their working week to be able to take part in a huge
network of activities, they play sports and they play in orchestras or sing in
choirs. The positive impact of this active participation in playful activities,
be they in sports or the arts, certainly contributes to the high position of
the Netherlands in rankings of happiness indicators and quality of life. Here is a symphony orchestra in The Hague that I am happy to be a member of, a great example of citizens playing and improving the quality of life for themselves and for their community.
Of course
Annabelle is not the only contributor to Washing up is good for you. I really
enjoyed Meredith Whitely´s chapter
What´s on your plate, my life washing up which charts her early life in Perth,
Australia and the lessons she learnt while working in a bakery there.
Mindfulness
has become a trend in life and in education. I am not convinced that all the
implications have been fully dealt with regarding the introduction of Mindfulness,
capital M, into schools. Even so, we can all take some tips from the various
writers here and find that life´s mundane tasks can be a source of peace and
inner harmony. Maybe it´s true, after all, that Washing up is good for you.
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