Adults Need to Play Too

Our society tends to view play as strictly for children . The message we receive is : Adults aren ’ t supposed to play ; we ’ re supposed to be serious and hyper-productive . Everything we do must have a goal or a purpose , and we build habits and routines to serve these purposes and manage our personal and professional lives . These routines may bring a sense of stability , but after a while they can also create feelings of stagnation and restlessness . You may start to feel robotic in the day-to-day hustle .

Just as play encourages cognitive growth in children , it plays a pivotal role in enriching the lives of adults . Dr . Stuart Brown , a psychiatrist and founder of the National Institute of Play , described play as a “ state of being ” that focuses on the actual experience , rather than accomplishing a goal . Play allows us to laugh and enjoy the moment with others , which can facilitate deep connections and healing with others . Brown explained that play provides the sense of novelty and pleasure that we might lack in our daily lives , and it helps boost our creativity and relationships .

And what better time to play than on Halloween ? For one night , we are free to let our imaginations run wild . We can transform ourselves into whoever or whatever we want . We can decorate our yards to look cute or creepy , craft clever costumes or cool pumpkin designs , and make awesome Halloween treats . All of this is done for the sake of fun .

If you ’ re having trouble tapping into the spirit of play , look no further than the child experts around you . Because kids aren ’ t locked into the “ proper ” way of doing things , they can come up with the most bizarre , playful ideas and connections . Observing their excitement about Halloween can help get you in the right mindset .

Memento Mori

Memento Mori is a phrase used by Stoic philosophers that translates to “ remember you must die ”. It may sound morbid or ominous to our ears , but the Stoics used Memento Mori as a reminder that every day is a gift , and that we should prioritize the things that are most important to us instead of getting hung up on trivialities . Basically , we should live like we ’ re dying , because technically we are .

Holidays like Halloween and Dia de los Muertos embrace the concept of Memento Mori by making death the main focus . By entertaining the macabre through horror films and ghost stories , or walking through cemeteries or haunted house attractions , we are bringing a little levity and fun to our mortality .

Research has shown that mortality awareness does have some positive benefits . A study done by Matthew Gailliot and colleagues in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin in 2008 found that awareness of death can motivate increased expressions of tolerance , egalitarianism , compassion , empathy , and pacifism .

Strengthening Community

How often do you talk to your neighbors ? Do you know more than one or two of them on your block ? Chances are the answer is “ no .”

Perhaps it ’ s the effects of mortality awareness discussed above , but Halloween is the one day of the year where we show a little more trust and faith in our fellow people . We open our doors to everyone who rings or knocks , we allow ourselves to be spooked or tricked by others , we let

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