February 19 - Can You Come Out and Play?

The ability to take off your shoes (literally or metaphorically) is all that is needed to enjoy InterPlay.

By Magdalena I. García

Can you come out and play? Do you remember that last time anyone said that to you? If you are an adult, chances are nobody has said those words to you for a long time, unless you’re actively involved in a sports team. That’s because adult lives are full of somber stuff, like schedules, deadlines, appointments, and payments. You miss one of those and you could end up in serious trouble, like unemployment or foreclosure.

Needless to say, when my friend S., a self-professed recovering serious person, asked me if I wanted to “come out and play,” I was intrigued and scared at the same time. What could she possibly mean by play? I was never good at sports, so I surely hoped she did not have in mind anything that required much skill or involved competition. It has taken decades to drain out of the remembrance tank the shame associated with high school and college physical education. And since S. is a dancer, I also hoped that leotards and tutus were not required; there is really no need to refill the memory cistern with new embarrassing moments.

With much curiosity and trembling, I accepted the invitation. That’s how I became connected with InterPlay. It’s hard to explain the concept, but it has been adequately described as “improvisational movement and improvisational words” by a seasoned player (watch the video clip featuring an octegenerian participant at http://www.interplay.org/). Now, the key operative word here is “improvisational,” which can be an elusive and threatening concept for adults—and ministers—who have mastered the art of careful planning and well-rehearsed moves.

After attending a couple of InterPlay happy hours–this is what my friend S. and her colleague J. call the occasional, Friday-evening sessions at my church—I cannot claim that I’m completely at home yet with so much spontaneity and embodiment, but I can honestly say that this is a most interesting and liberating experience, one that stimulates creativity, encourages stillness, and promotes reflection. Not bad. I wish I could claim that church services do all that for congregants. So, the question now is: when can YOU come out and play?

(Check out my church's website for information about upcoming InterPlay sessions: www.ravenswoodpresbyterian.org.)