I particularly enjoyed the part where it talks about play. A favorite line in this chapter is "By excusing you from the world, play allows for deeper engagement in it." This is so true. I think when we play it frees our minds from stress, and worry, so that when we are down, our whole being is lighter, and we appreciate everything more. It goes on to say "the more self-conscious, the less play-like play becomes, for play is nothing if not the suspension of self-consciousness, the relief from being held to account by the world." Why did this strike me so intensely? I think in being a parent of young children I, ironically, forgot how to play. I became too caught up in 'adulthood' and responsibilities, so when my kids got older and my responsibilities were less, I became more aware of how important it was to play, to become unself-conscious. And I regretted not doing more of it when they were younger.
In reading alot of this chapter, I was thinking of how I play scrabble at work. Scrabble being my hooky. I have to appear as if I am always working so I have to be discreet in my scrabble games. On page 78 it says, "Doesn't having to pretend you're still at work mean that the yoke of empowerment's very opposite, enslavement, still hangs aroung your neck?" YES, yes it does. So my 'freedom' is "of an inferior kind". Oh well, still feels like freedom. I'll take anything I can get.
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