I've spent an uncalled-for part of my life in idle play and daydreaming. I've no regret for a minute of it.
I don’t like being called on.
I've no regret for doing the jobs I've been called upon to do. Many times I even enjoy the jobs, but a job is no substitute for play. Play is all sunshine and no storm. Daydreaming is restful shade.
When I work at something that interests me I think of it as play. When I muse loosely on something that interests me I think of it as daydreaming - both are fun.
Jobs are work.
The best part of school days was getting home and changing into "play-clothes". Finally I could relax. "Play-clothes" don't require fuss. Duty stops calling. Now I can devote full attention to doing what interests me and thinking what interests me.
I still think of old clothes as "play-clothes". I still think "play-clothes" are a symbol of freedom. I still think of play-time as time well-spent.
Playing and daydreaming are seriously underappreciated. When your mind is off-duty you are
free to notice what seemed unimportant when you were working.
Ironically, playing and daydreaming is often more productive than working.
Little Alecia was just playing around splattering red paint onto blue paint when she discovered how to make purple paint.
Einstein was daydreaming when he thought of relativity.
Sir Isaac Newton was leisurely napping when the apple dropped on his head.
Serendipity seems to favor those who aren’t working hard at anything.
Isaac Asimov said, "The most exciting phrase is not 'Eureka!' but, 'That's funny . . . ".
Some will say, "Oh what nonsense"! "Playing and daydreaming waste time that would have been better spent working on something useful".
They're mostly right. We must work to achieve goals. Dutiful work produces getting and gaining, but, neither getting nor gaining produces joy.
If it did, wage-slaves would be the happiest people on Earth. Play is not about achieving. Play is about discovery. Daydreaming is about refection. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy".
Without time for discovery and refection life is nothing more than monotonous drudgery.
Did Jesus imply something important about the value of play and daydreaming when He said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me"?
I wonder.