Play Sustains Creativity, Hope, And Life Itself
Two days ago, my daughter probably went trick-or-treating for the last time.
She’s in high school now. This year, she managed to convince only two of her friends to go with her. Most of her other friends decided they were too old for it.
But she still loves Halloween. Every year, she starts thinking about her costume weeks in advance. This time, she was a pirate — complete with a hat, belt, a sword, a skull medallion, and a fake nose ring. She assembled her look over the course of a couple of weeks.
As we drove her to her friend’s house, from where they’d head out together, she sat quietly in the passenger seat. I could tell she was feeling a little self-conscious.
“People are going to look at me and say, ‘What are you doing, unc?’” she said, using that teenage slang for “uncle” — old and uncool.
I smiled and told her, “The only way to never become an unc is always to be playful.”
“Such wise words,” she said with the half-sarcasm that teens save for their parents.
Why We Play
Somewhere along the way to adulthood, we start confusing play with immaturity. We think growing up means giving up make-believe, costumes, and silliness.
But play isn’t childish — it’s deeply human.
Wearing a costume is just one form of play. It’s a small way of saying, “I don’t take myself too seriously.”
As kids, we play to explore the world. As adults, we play to stay alive inside.
It’s not the supplements, the workouts, or the latest “biohacks” that keep us young.
It’s playfulness.
If you live to be a hundred but your last playful moment was at age twenty — or even eighty — what’s the point of living so long?
The Elvis Wig
About twenty-five years ago, when I began working at a medium-sized clinic in rural Wisconsin, we would hold our “holiday” party in February. Doing so prevented work commitments from overloading the social calendar during the holiday season. It also broke the dreaded monotony that begins after New Year’s parties and lasts till Memorial Day.
That party was a big deal. There were games, food, laughter—and one tradition that caught every new employee by surprise.
All new hires had to wear an Elvis wig and sing an Elvis song.
No one told me this until I got there, and it was my turn.
When I heard what I must do, I froze. I’m not a singer. I have always joked that people would pay me not to sing. Besides, while I enjoy music, I rarely remember lyrics. I was mortified.
But there was no escaping it. So I put on that shiny black wig, grabbed the microphone, and belted out the most off-key version of some Elvis song — I don’t even remember which one.
It was awful!
I was embarrassed.
But then something strange happened.
Everyone laughed. Not at me, but with me.
And suddenly, I was having fun.
It took me a few more years and a few more experiences to learn something I hope I never forget: once you stop worrying about looking silly, you start enjoying yourself again.
After that, I looked forward to that holiday party every single year. It’s the only work party I’ve ever truly anticipated with genuine and heartfelt joy.
Because it wasn’t just a party — it was permission. Permission to be playful, to laugh at ourselves, and to feel connected to others in a genuine way.
Play Builds Connection
Play breaks down walls faster than PowerPoint ever can.
When you play, you stop performing and start connecting. That’s why those Elvis wigs worked so well.
Hierarchy goes out the window when you’re all singing “Jailhouse Rock” off-key in matching wigs.
It reminded me that connection isn’t built by status, titles, or credentials. It’s built on shared moments of joy.
And joy often requires a little bit of silliness.
Play Is a Leadership Skill
You might wonder what play has to do with leadership.
Actually, a lot.
Play lowers fear.
Play brings people together.
Play fuels creativity.
There is no innovation without playfulness of spirit.
Think about the leaders you’ve admired. Chances are, they weren’t the ones who always looked serious and unapproachable. They were the ones who could laugh at themselves, turn stress into fun, and make you feel lighter just by being around them.
Playfulness isn’t about goofing off. It’s about being open to ideas, to people, to possibilities.
In business and life, that kind of openness is what keeps teams resilient.
When we lose play, we don’t just lose fun — we lose trust, curiosity, and connection.
Play, The Real Fountain of Youth
We live in a time when people spend billions chasing youth. Anti-aging creams, supplements, Botox, and other hacks promise to turn back time.
But youth isn’t something you can inject or buy.
Youth is a mindset.
It’s laughing at yourself.
It’s dancing when no one else will.
It’s being willing to look a little ridiculous now and then.
This Halloween, my daughter worried that other kids might think she is too old to go trick-or-treating. I get it. We’ve all felt that way.
But I also know that the people who look the silliest are usually the ones having the most fun.
And that joy is contagious.
A Simple Challenge
So here’s my challenge to you:
When was the last time you wore a costume?
When was the last time you did something playful?
Maybe it’s wearing a goofy hat at work.
Maybe it’s singing karaoke badly.
Maybe it’s letting yourself laugh a little louder than usual.
Whatever it is — do it.
Because play isn’t just for kids, it’s for the parts of us that never want to grow old.
When my daughter came home on Halloween night, she was glowing. Her candy bag was full. She had laughed with her friends. No one had called her “unc.”
And as I watched her empty her candy on the floor, I thought, maybe it wasn’t her last Halloween after all.
Maybe, if she keeps her sense of play alive, Halloween will never really end.
Play keeps us young. Curiosity keeps us alive. And courage — the courage to be a little ridiculous now and then — keeps us human.
So go ahead.
Put on the pirate hat. Or the Elvis wig.
And belt out your song — off-key and all.
