Research from Michigan University shows that the average young adult in 2009 showed much less motivation to improve others’ well-being, than 75% of young adults in 1979. The future of human kindness may be in jeopardy because of more time we spend online, or more time we spend WITH WORK. There has to be a good balance. The 18^thcentury poet, philosopher Friedrich Schiller, warned against being driven purely by work, said; “MAN ONLY PLAYS WHEN HE IS IN THE FULLEST SENSE OF THE WORD A HUMAN BEING, AND HE IS ONLY FULLY A HUMAN BEING WHEN HE PLAYS.”

We seem to be working more than ever. Yes, it is important to achieve more, perform better, pay the bills, but has our work-life balance find us tipping in the wrong direction. We now have the work mind-set that with modern technology we can work from anywhere. We shouldn’t let the demands of work invade into our time with our families, friends and ourselves. BE HUMAN AND PLAY.

Flowing water is powerful, it can crack or wear down the strongest rock. Work is like running water, in the sense that work is constantly moving and changing. Therefore, work can erode and destabilize our lives as flowing water can do to a rock. BE HUMAN AND PLAY.

Yes, we enjoy work, because we can excel and prove our worth. PLAY is different, it releases us from the demands to excel in anything. When we PLAY for the sake of PLAYING, there is no goal, no assignment. PLAY not only provides a NECESSARY SUSPENSION from work but allows us to be a more balanced HUMAN BEING.

GO PLAY; PLAY A GAME, PLAY A SPORT, MAKE MERRY, HORSE AROUND, IDLE AWAY, DANCE, SING, CLIMB A TREE. BE HUMAN AGAIN.

Categories: PERSPECTIVES Philosophical Perspective

ron winnegrad

Ron Winnegrad has been a Perfumer and teacher for 46 years. As a perfumer, Ron has been able to express the world he sees through a rainbow of olfactive and emotive visions. As a teacher, Ron has helped others to see fragrance through his own multi sensorial lens.