#10 What do you do that's playful?

This is a subject that's near and dear to my heart. To quote George Bernard Shaw, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." I'm most playful when I'm at home in my comfort zone. I've been known to spontaneously burst into dance routines, jump on beds, talk in accents (Swedish and Brooklyn are my favorites), and make up crazy nicknames. I once discovered a relative in my family tree named Dovie Ladosia and it struck my fancy, so I'd often call my daughters by the name (they didn't quite see the humor like I did). When Brianna lived with us after Hurricane Katrina, she and I used to have lots of fun watching the show "What Not to Wear" together and giggling at the contestants.

The funniest moments are usually unplanned. I remember once amusing my daughters by putting an orange slice in my mouth and making it my "smile," when suddenly it popped out and landed smack dab on top of Julie's head. There was just something about that moment that tickled all of us. We were laughing uproariously and Michelle ended up literally rolling on the floor in hysterics. Another time my mother was telling us about trying to take up golf but never quite getting the hang of it. She described hitting a tree with her golf ball and did an imitation of the chipmunk poking his head out of a hole in the tree to see what the heck had just happened. The source of this entertainment was so unexpected, the girls and I laughed until tears rolled down our cheeks.

My job can be a place that's often too serious, but one of my co-workers is great at imitations (especially at imitating the boss) and she can really get us belly laughing sometimes. Once in awhile when things get too quiet, my next door office neighbor and I will tap on each other's windows, stick out our tongues and waggle our fingers in our ears. Silly, but it effectively breaks up the monotony. Lately, Zumba on Fridays at noon with a fun instructor has been a great outlet for my playfulness.

To me, playfulness is a sign of emotional health. I can never get enough of it.