Other Worlds

Important Play

“This is the real secret of life—to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”

Alan Watts

It occurred to me that Halloween might be the perfect day to post this silly piece called, “Other Worlds.” While it was in construction, my son, Jake, commented that it looked like the planet where Luke Skywalker lived with his aunt and uncle. So I went with that—a Tatooine-like landscape. But being a pacifist and all, I didn't want it to be a battleground where the empire and the jedi fought it out. Instead, I wanted the inhabitants to be peaceful creatures, and, as you can see here, they aren't exactly tough-guys.

Bill Watterson, creator of the comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes, made a very astute observation. He asked the question: “How come we play war and not peace?” and then suggested it might be because there are too few role models. I want to be a role model for peace in my art. And not only peace, but play, because play is what making art is to me.

I know everyone can't spend their days playing, but what we can all do is decide what brings us joy in a creative way. Because there is healthy, creative play, and there is unhealthy, destructive play—one advances and enhances our connection to soul, and one is descent into our shadow-side. Think of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde. Hyde was the shadow side of Jeckle, the respectable doctor, who concocts a serum to help him suppress his urges—which, instead, creates Hyde. Hyde goes out nights and engages in who-knows-what? Stevenson is never clear about exactly what Hyde's deeds were except to say they were evil and lustful. Dr. Jeckle, who had to maintain his status in the community, didn't allow himself to play. I think sometimes our tendency toward addiction has to do with trying to figure out how to have fun, because so many of us don't know how. Getting high is fun until it isn't—and then it creates Mr. Hyde in all of us. But I digress.

We all fantasize about other worlds, and alternate realities. When we concoct monsters and super-heroes, when we spin tales of wizards and goblins, as we do at Halloween, we are creating other worlds. When we live in a world of princesses and handsome princes and savior-warriors, we are allowing our creative spirit to hold sway for a little while. Today's games, such as Dungeons and Dragons, and role-playing video games are ways to depart from everyday “reality” and tap into the child-part of us that loves to play. We never lose that part. Even old people (like me) need to play.

I hope you make time for play today. Let your spirit loose and create something just for fun!

                                                             In the Spirit,

                                                                Jane