The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-04-09
PLAY.

PLAY.
One of the most important, as 1t is
one of the hardest, lessons for the
busy man to learn is to play. "AH
work and no play makes Jack duh
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. certain
| brand of tobacco used to be adver-
| tised with the epigrammatic advice,
eff smoking such and such tobacco in
| terferes with your business, quit your
business" OF course, the admonitiOR
| Is absurdly overdrawn, but it has IL
grain of sound philosophy in it, too,
which is, that it 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 If properly
INDUCED. If improperly INDUCED 1t
becomes labor, poisonous exertiOn,
drudgery, doing harm rather than
good. 1t Is as bad for the body or
any of it's 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 i'll
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 it does not mean,
for amusement" is that which amuses
or pleasurably engages the mind. SO
"play" las come to mean many differ
ent things, from music to gambling.
Whenever, 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 it is not necessary that it be pur-
poseful. One should let himself go"
now and then and just frollc. Ala
that is necessary to learn about play
is to understand that all play is good
if 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
to 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-lmportant
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 magma
ton play all kinds of FRANKS. 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.
p The place and inspiration of a
mans play should be, par excellence,
his home, although sometimes it g
, better to 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 it is this element in his life,
I typified by his home, and for the
most part afforded by his home, that
t l urge upon my readers and patients
t to deliberately cultivate, thus adding
) many years to their physical life and
: untold blessings to their minds and
I hearts. LEARN HOW TO LIVE.