Hey there . So I play badminton with my husband on a narrow green strip between our cottage and the lake . He lets me stand with the wind behind my back so that I have the best chance of returning his serve . He loves to whack the birdie high into the tree branches as I crane my neck trying to guess where it will parachute down . As I crane my neck trying
to guess where it will parachute down , and if I manage to catch it before it hits the ground , we feel this surge of delight and connection . As it flies back toward him in the blue blue sky . He lunges for even the most impossible returns , rolling to the ground like a Martha Graham dancer as I laugh until I cry . Sometimes I swear I can see the flowers leaning away from his wild swatting , fearing for their purple petals . I smile though , as he pats their delicate
heads gently and our cats observe from the windowsill .
Speaker 1We play often , but there's no scheduled time . You won't find our spontaneous shuttle cocking on either of our to-do lists or calendars . Our game is unattached to outcome and well , at least from the outside , doesn't move us any closer to any goals or aspirations . But the added value of this unplanned daily intermission is immense , and it doesn't cost a penny a penny . I believe deeply in hard work , dedication and proactivity . What I'm learning , though , is that , at least for me , success is not defined only by hours , logged , money earned , words written or credits accumulated . Where's the value in working so hard that even our most productive days simply leave us feeling spent and unable to reap the rewards of our hard work ?
Speaker 1I am so very fortunate and grateful to love my work , and sometimes I find it difficult to pull myself away , but I'm always glad that I did .
Who knows , who knows how much might have gotten done if we hadn't chosen to take the time to play . Well , what I do know is that , when my husband and I return to our work , we feel more energized and connected to each other , to ourselves and to whatever it is we want to focus on . I smile at the joy my husband and I have accumulated playing shuttlecock on the green grass by the lake . We're not very good at it you could even say we put the bad in badminton but I wouldn't trade our shuttle cocking for anything in the world .
Speaker 1We don't play with a net or have any idea how to count points , but if you asked me how to count points . But if you asked me , I'd say the score is always love , love . I'm Lisa Hopkins . Thanks so much for listening . I cannot encourage you enough to put some play in your life today . So much love and light . Stay safe and healthy , everyone , and remember to live in the moment .