Another Reminder About the Importance of Play and What Constitutes Play
- gregorymaness
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Here is another reminder that the preparatory steps that lead up to someone actively engaging in the most visible and recognizable part of a hobby are also part of the hobby. Here is another reminder that the preparation undertaken prior to playing a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) or merely immersing oneself in the game’s materials and letting one’s imagination roam is a form of play. The time that one spends engaging his or her imagination and creativity is not wasted time, even if what results from that creative exercise ultimately doesn’t see the gaming table or find itself being turned into a product that can be sold to others. Likewise, time spent playing is not (generally speaking anyway) wasted time. You may recall that I have previously posted on these topics a couple of times in my posts, “I’m Playing a Game” (https://www.apirateontheprairie.com/post/i-m-playing-a-game) and “Keep Playing” (https://www.apirateontheprairie.com/post/keep-playing). I recently found a short video (click on the link below) from Daniel of the I Roll Alone YouTube channel (@IRollAlone) that reinforces these points. Put simply, this kind of activity is anything but pointless and it has some real benefits.
Play and relaxation are worthwhile pursuits, even for an adult with responsibilities. Unless play and relaxation are getting in the way of us meeting our responsibilities to ourselves and others, we shouldn’t begrudge or discount the importance of our recreational pursuits towards improving and maintaining our own wellbeing. And we should keep in mind that taking care of ourselves and our wellbeing is a responsibility that we owe to ourselves and those that depend upon us and that love us.
If you find yourself struggling to justify “playing silly games” or taking part in hobbies that some might see as frivolous, I encourage you to watch this short video and reconsider how you are viewing the matter.
“Prep is Play and Why it's Actually Good for You!”
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