As an adult, we have certain responsibilities.  Most of us have jobs (and if you're a SAHM, you are one of those people with a job).  There are bills to pay and weeds to pull.  There are cars to wash and deadlines to meet.  There are floors to clean and appointments to keep.  The lists are endless and if we're to be responsible adults we must keep up with our responsibilities right?

I have always been a rather "serious" person.  My mother has quipped on more than one occasion that I was "born old".  I've been called a "stick in the mud", "dull", "fuddy duddy", "party pooper" and some others.  My sisters poked fun at the way I laughed and my friends came to me for "advice" mostly.  While it is completely untrue that I do not have a "silly side", it isn't the side I'm remembered most for.  One of the things I loved most about Erik when we met was his ability to bring out my silliness.  He thought my jokes were funny and I found his equally hilarious.  I think he's often seen as a "serious person" also. 

Well, years of marriage and many many kids and bills and tragedy and just life can often dampen our playful spirits some.    Suddenly we can't remember to laugh or to take time for play.  It's all work, all the time.  Certainly most of us don't even recognize the gradual progression of it.  I do remember the day I recognized how far from "fun" I'd become.  It was not long after Jewel was born, we all went  geocaching as a family.  I wish I could say I was in a good mood, I wasn't.  In fact, I was being rather difficult.  I think I was suffering from a bit of post-partum depression at the time, nothing major, just "the blahs", anyway Erik gives me a look.  It wasn't a nice look it was a "what on earth is wrong with you" look.  He rarely gives me any kind of negative look so this took me by surprise.  It made me reflect on how I was acting immediately.  I was supposed to be having fun - this was a "time to laugh" and I was missing it. 

We were in the middle of a former golf course consisting of one rolling hill after another.  Standing at the top of one of the hills I realized I hadn't taught my kids one of the best things about being a kid.  I shot Erik a mischievous look and said, "Hey kids, betcha never rolled down a hill before."  Next thing they knew I had flung myself to the ground and was rolling and screaming down the side of the hill.  The kids laughed and squealed with excitement begging to try it.  We proceeded to roll again and again, screaming and laughing.  Then of course I got to experience a "time to weep" and a "time to kill" as a bee flew up my pants leg and stung me good.  In spite of the bee, we enjoyed a wonderful time rolling down the hills and because I grasped a moment to play, it's a memory we will share forever.

I still struggle with my "all business side" but I do try to recognize moments to laugh and make others laugh more than I used to.  The Bible tells us there is a time for everything and that includes laughter and play.   How many opportunities have you missed to play?  How many times have you stifled your laughter when you really needed a good loud chuckle?  The time is now ladies, life is too hard not to spend at least some of it rolling like a tumble weed.