“Wheels on the bus go round and round…” are words from a kids song that is popular in school. It is easy to sing and to teach. It was the first one I taught to 2nd graders some 47 years ago. 
Wheels make our lives easier. They allow us to move heavy and/or bulky objects that we could not otherwise move. In addition, they move our cars, tractors, and machinery. Like wheels, we tend to repeat our actions. We make the same repetitions and rely on routines to see us through. Likewise, when things don’t work, we get stuck and make stay idle for some time.
This wheel barrel looks functional, but it isn’t. It has a flat tire and I haven’t taken the time to fix it. It doesn’t roll. That is true with our skills. When we don’t use them regularly, they get weak and rusty. They don’t help us roll over into new avenues and have the fun or productivity we want. We let things go and miss out.
Music is one of those things that I need to get “tuned-up”. Reading journals, studying manuals for the computer, and business skills are constantly getting honed, because they are used all the time. These chores become tiring too. Sometimes loneliness creeps in.
It is good for us to make lists, use our phones as reminders, read often, but I have one other thing that we need to do. It is the most important thing of all. It is something we don’t have fix or reinvent.
It is staying connected with friends and being sociable. It is what most kids do naturally and what they get in trouble for at school. Children love school because they can play at recess, see their friends, and eat lunch together. They are spontaneous and love to interact. I think we should all try to be like children. Let’s reinvent the wheel and take time to get out and play. I am planning to carve pumpkins this weekend and make pumpkin seeds. Need a few helping hands for that so I will put out a call to action for help. How about you? What can you do to “play” this weekend?