#161 play

When is the last time you played? In the literal sense. The kind we naturally did with as kids with our friends or siblings.

Think of how as adolescents we naturally gravitate towards “play” while putting forth strong resistance towards work and monotonous school. Is it solely because we enjoy having fun or does it have to do with the way we are wired?

If you look at the animal kingdom, you will find that play has no age limit. It is expressed in the form of wrestling or boxing as seen in lions and even house cats or in wolves as intricate variations of tag.

When mammals mature, it is more common to see them playing with their young rather than each other. Yet, as humans this sort of behavior in adults is viewed as silly or childish. Those of us who participate in combat sports with our family understand there is an experience beyond fighting which comes with a great deal of satisfaction.

In the first clip of this video you will see UFC World Champion Khabib wrestling with his late father Abdulmanap and later on with his brothers and members of the team. It is not just competitive, there is laughter, shared smiles, respect and love between all in involved, something the world could use a little more of right now. Who could’ve guessed that fighting would be the thing to bring happiness to the planet? 🙂