As adults, we work to assure we provide the essentials of survival for ourselves and those dependent upon us who cannot do so for themselves. We play as respite from our labors and to relieve the disorder and distress that accrue from our daily activities and efforts in our work.

Essentially we work so that we can keep on living.

1. What is Play?
   1. A rite and a quality of mind
   2. For simplicity’s sake
2. Cautions and Precautions

What is Play?

Play is an activity we pursue for its own sake for pleasure and enjoyment. Play is often interpreted as frivolous, yet the player can be intently focused on their objective, particularly when play is structured and goal-oriented, as in a game. Accordingly, play can range from relaxed, free-spirited, spontaneous, and frivolous to planned or even compulsive.

A rite and a quality of mind

So, Play is a “thing we do” and the frame of mind in which we do it?

Only adults, I think, sit back and dissect the “frame of mind” aspect — and then only academically or to understand our own involvement in the things we do that might be called Play.

Don't get me started.
               RedBird

For simplicity’s sake

Outer Reality is the Universe – everything that is outside of Self.

Inner Reality is unique to the individual Self’s view of the Universe and Self, based on all the information Self has perceived, evaluated, and incorporated from pre-birth awareness to date.

Outer Reality and daily life challenge Inner Reality with disorder and distress.

Play is Self experimenting with Inner Reality in relation to hypothetical variations of Outer Reality, sometimes resulting in lasting changes to iInner Reality.

RedBird (2009)

In short,

Outer Reality is What Is, here and now.

Inner Reality is the reality I perceive here and now through my senses and my Worldview through which I understand those perceptions.

And I am enjoying myself here at Belle’s End as Shopkeeper. I hope you are finding a welcome as well.

Cautions and Precautions

Adults play for pleasure and relief from distress of daily life in Outer Reality — sometimes called IRL (In Real Life). Unlike children, we are responsible for harm we bring to others in pursuit of our own pleasure, and we negate the benefits of relief if we are harmed ourselves.

Each of us is responsible for our own safety in play and for our part in maintaining the safety provided by the refuge.

We are responsible for remaining mindful of the sanity of all sharing the refuge and potential harm arising from the play.

We enter into play with others under conditions of mutual informed consent, and we remain alert to situations of violation of consent arising within the refuge.

Safe, sane, and consensual

Perhaps Outer Reality would be much less stressful if we could bring these attitudes with us when we return to Real Life.