When we are children we play make-believe. We bring life to inanimate objects. We pretend we are characters who exist in books, or movies, or cartoon strips, or invent them ourselves. As adults, unless we seek a profession that deems such activities appropriate, acting for example, our desires and acceptance to create a world with play may decline. Many of us seem to forget the simple joy and fun we had.

The other day I visited a local zoo. There was an employee with a cute, monkey puppet perched on her hand. I couldn’t resist engaging with the puppet directly. I asked the “monkey” its name. The woman gave me a look and shot back,”It’s a puppet. It doesn’t have a name.”

I think of  all the cherished “animals” I had as a child who not only had names, but distinct personalities.

I haven’t given up playing.

I hope I never will.