Mr. Freeze

Mr. Freeze

A cheerful heart is good medicine.

My husband’s hands get colder than those of anyone else I’ve ever met, and he thinks it is hilarious to sneak up and stick his frigid fingers on the back of my neck or the small of my back “to warm them up,” especially if my own hands are busy doing a dinner-related task and I cannot readily protect myself.

Rather than get mad when his icicle hands try to steal my warmth, I shriek loudly and engage in evasive maneuvers, invoking the help of our children from every corner of the house. Our family descends into momentary chaos, with everyone chasing through rooms until I’ve been dogpiled by a husband and two children with varying motives of either helping dad or mom, and we are all breathless with laughter.

This ritual sounds a bit ridiculous, but it is so, so important. Raising children, pursuing careers, and keeping a household running can slowly and insidiously turn spouses into roommates and into people who are always responsible and dull as dull can be.

In the midst of responsible adulting, there is nothing quite like a short game of chase to restore a twinkle to our eyes and humor to our marital relationship. Play is good for the soul, and it is good for our marriage and our family. It allows us to laugh together, to release responsibilities for a few minutes of living entirely in the present, to reconnect with everyone in our family with loving—albeit cold—touch.

Playfulness is something we tend to set aside as beneath us instead of recognizing the emotional, spiritual, and physical benefits that come with setting aside our grown-up responsibilities and just having fun, even for a few minutes. Cheerfulness and joy are found in play, and they are good medicine for ourselves and for those in relationship with us.

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Cultivate a habit of play in your relationships. Revel in your inner ten-year-old from time to time instead of being prim and proper.