The citizen., 1920-10-07
PLAY.

One OF the most important. as II II
one OF the hardest. lessons for the
busy man to learn is to play. "Al1
work and no play makes Jack o dull
boy" More men have been killed by
the negative influence of lack Of play
than by the positive effect of excess
sive work. OF all things. the busy
man should give up the senseless and
wearing habit of revolving In his mind
In the evening. and during his spare
time. the matters which have occu-
pied him during the day. A certain
brand Of tobacco used to be adver-
tised with the epgrammatic advice.
IF smoking such and such tobacco In
terferes with your business, quit your
business" OF course. the admonition
is absurdly overdrawn. but It has
grain Of sound philosophy In 1t. too.
which is. that II Is just as important
that business should not be allowed
to interfere with play as that play
should not be allowed to interfere
with business.
Play is form OF rest II properly
INDUCED. II improperly INDUCED II
becomes labor. poisonous exertion.
drudgery. doing harm rather than
good. II Is as bad for the body or
any Of its members to be overstrained
In play as In work. and in the excite
ment or rivalry Of play the line Of
demarkation between benefit and in
jury is very often overleaped. The
basic definition of play is, ITO engage
In some exercise for the sake Of
amusement" Here the word would
seem to mean what II does not mean,
for amusement" is that which amuses
or pleasurably engages the mind. So
play" has come to mean many differ
ent things, from music to gambling.
Wheneter. however, in any amuse-
ment you are interested chiefly In
some advantage TO be won. you have
passed from the amusement of play
TO the amusement of work. In play
ing II is not necessary that II be pur-
posefu. One should let himself "go"
now and then and just frolic.. All
that is necessary to learn about play
is to understand that all play is good
II INDUCED In moderation and at rea-
sonable times. Work. play. rest,
should balance. Rowing. running.
golf. tennis. all sports that will take
us where there Is good air and sun
shine. and force us TO exert our bodies
10 the point Of taking deep breaths
are beneficial. Indoors. light reading
when the mind is weary, card playing
and other frivolous amusements are
sometimes good. The all-important
requisite is to maintain a playfulness
of spirit which is quite independent
Of external aids.
You can learn even TO have fun
with yourself letting your imagina-
tion play all kinds of pranks. Play Is
recreation. refreshing and tightening
the monotony of life. Change of
work is not recreation enough for the
intense worker of today. The mind
and will must be emptied of all Sc
robustness and purpose. and relaxation
should be sought in romp and frolic.
The place and inspiration of
mans play should be. par excellence.
his home. although sometimes II Is
better 10 get utterly away from your
family and all familiar things and peo-
pie. TO play alone or with new-made
friends or comparative strangers.
Home, however, should represent TO
a man the highest type Of play-the
unbending and relaxing Of his facul-
ties In frank and loving sociability.
And II Is this element In his life.
typlfied by his home. and for the
most part afforded by his home. that
urge upon my readers and patients
TO deliberately cultivate, thus adding
many years 10 their physical life and
untold blessings 10 their minds and
hearts. LEARN HOW TO LIVE.
The life OF the present day Is lived
AZ fever heat. Life is literally a bat
tie. and men are falling by hundreds
in the thick OF the light; they go STUN
hing on. robblng themselves Of sleep
and rest and play. till they break down
into an insane asylum or into the