As adults, we often forget that play is essential in our lifetime growth because of real life responsibilities, work, roles, and other important things that fill our life space. It is a skill to identify our need of playing as adults, and healthy adults tend to plan and do these kind of activities. It is an underrated ability to finally acknowledge our lifetime growth, and includes playing, that shapes our socioemotional well-being. Fortunately, I'm one of an early adult that knows how essential it is and therefore do it from time to time so I won't forget I should be helping myself shape me into a healthy person.
Speaking of playing and kite, my boyfriend and I were bored in the house so we decided to go outside the area where he is staying and found out kids go on a clean ground near his house and play the whole afternoon. Among the kids playing by that time we went out, only one caught our attention. It was a boy in a corner holding a very thin thread and chin up to the sky as if he is navigating something. When we looked above, we realized he was playing his kite with the wind and attempted to reach the farthest it can by controlling it and cooperating with the wind that blows hard that afternoon. It was my dream to make and play kite again, so we decided to make one and let it fly above. I asked my boyfriend's help only to find out he wants to make one too with me.
So we searched for unused plastics in their house, a thread, and a stick. It took us a century to finally complete the materials and started crafting it. It started from cutting a square from one of the plastics as the body of the kite. Then we brought sticks to attach on the plastic, tied it by making holes on the plastic, and cutting other plastics for the tail of our kite. It might sound easy but precision and patience are needed when making a kite because it takes a lot of patience to make one, especially if you want to have the first attempt successful.
This is my boyfriend and me playing the kite we made and finally made it fly. It was fun to have an experience controlling the kite like a pilot, feeling the pull of the wind and guiding it slowly above us. The memories of making it together mean so much to me, because it was not just about the kite but also about the time, effort, and laughter we shared while doing it.
After that activity, we ate pizza by night as a simple way of ending the day. We ordered Hawaiian pizza and Aloha and it was good, something warm and comforting after spending the afternoon outside. We sat together, a little tired but happy, and just enjoyed the moment while talking about how our kite stayed up in the sky.
In the end, it made me realize that some of the simplest things we do can bring back parts of ourselves we almost forgot. Just like a balloon that once flew away and a kite that stayed because we held on to its thread, there are moments we choose to keep and nurture. And maybe growing up is not about letting go of play, but learning how to return to it, from time to time, so we can continue shaping ourselves into someone whole and content.