Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
Feature Photo by Jessica Truscott
I am always held spellbound by semantics and linguistics; words can say so much and mean so many different things to different people. This struck me the other day regarding the word ‘recreation’. Think about the word recreation; it might conjure images of fun, down time, sports and hobbies, time with the kids, relaxation and enjoyment. It’s the time spent away from your working life, the chores and the ‘should be doing’ tasks your mind keeps reminding you of.
However, when we add a hyphen or simply pronounce the word differently we find another whole definition. Re-creation. The ‘re’ as a prefix meaning again, again and again, repetition. So we are doing it again, creating again; maybe into something new, maybe re-hashed, and showing in a different light.
I was standing in the shower pondering this the other day, about how the two versions of the word tie together. How, in order to re-create we need to add recreation into our time, our lives and the lives of the ones around us. It’s almost as if in the space of recreation we are re-creating a healthier, happier version of ourselves.
We all have the freedom to re-create, to grow and learn, to make and share our changes and enhance our lives. Sometimes, though, the practice of recreation is what enables us to stop, listen to our inner source and find new direction; to hear what is working and what is no longer serving us. It might allow you to find laughter, to do something silly, to learn a new skill or to bond with those close to you.
So, today, make an appointment with you, for just half an hour, take your shoes off and stand in the soft green grass, bask in the sun, feel grounded to this earth and centre yourself. Think about something you would really love to do, or have been wanting to do for some time, investigate how you can learn that new skill, plan how you might spend your time-out with the ones you love. Make this a regular appointment, schedule in your recreation time. While life’s roundabout will keep on turning, we do have the ability to slow it down just a little and find moments of peace in which recreation allows re-creation.
