Neotony Needed

I was honored this week to be a student of world renown speaker and author, Kevin Caroll. Google him and you can find all kinds of fun resources. Kevin challenged a group of us in Dallas this week to reintroduce "play" into our daily routine. He gave us permission to resign from the traditional world of adulthood and assume the responsibilities of an 8 year old again. He opened our eyes to how adults today have become overly rigid; convinced that in order to be taken serious, we have to BE serious; convinced that playful imagination, dreams, and storytelling have no place in the board room; convinced that the insatiable curiosity of our children must be replaced by practical realism to ensure their success. How wrong could we be?! This week I've come to realize that the complexities of the world in which we live require playful camaraderie, naive creativity, imaginative solutions, and a childlike faith in miracles. And the best part...there is acually an "adult" word for this concept. Neotony - "the state resulting when juvenile characteristics are retained by the adult of a species." Cool huh? So here's my challenge to you. Consider areas of your life where you could interject some play this week. At home, at work, at church? When you decide to resign your adulthood and assume the responsibilities of an 8 year old, you can tackle problems from an entirely different perspective; color outside the lines so to speak. You can unlock your creativity by replacing practical reality with an anything-is-possible attitude. Imagine hearing your kids say, "when I grow up, I want to have fun like daddy."

On a personal note...I have to acknowledge the influence of my wife of 22 years for her role in keeping things fun for me. Thanks Bec, for marshmallow blow guns, toe-to-toe push wars, silly Ray Stevens songs, and an occasional pededal. You inspire me.