The importance of playing dress-up...

My daughters loved to play dress-up when they were little. Brides and princesses made regular appearances at our home.

But the kiddos aren't here now. They are back at college or in Edinburgh as I write. I really miss participating in their play by helping find the odds and ends to transform them into various imaginary beings. Now I find myself decking Jake, our dog, in various snazzy bandanas - he likes to choose which one! My husband tolerates donning the plethora of handpicked, colorful ties I can't resist giving him. (He does like the compliments they garner!) And then, of course, there's my adventures into faerie land...

We all should enjoy a bit of dress-up - no matter how old we are, shouldn't we? It's all about the long floaty stuff for my friends in the priesthood (and those heading there) and especially for me when Lillianna comes to visit. Middle aged women playing dress-up! Is there something wrong with that? Quite the contrary. There's something very right with that. It's wonderful to come full circle. It's wonderful to return to the place where we started and to the time we were most ourselves. Playing dress-up allows us to remember who we were - and who we could have been and now, finally, who we have become.

I have another middle aged friend, though, who told me today, "I hate playing dress-up!"

Whoa.

I wonder what some serious playtime would do for her. Would she find some relief from her stress? Or some answers to the many questions she has? I think she would. I wrote the other day, "there's more reality in make believe than I ever would have imagined." I wish she would take time to make time for some good ol' fashioned make believe, some dress-up, some play...

Ah well.

I've got trunkloads of old clothes. Wanna come play? We can play dress-up and then have a tea party!