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On the way to work this past Monday morning, I pulled into my regular parking lot fully aware that there would probably still be icy patches throughout the lot where the salt or plows didn’t complete their intended task. There’d been a light snow the day before and the below-freezing temperatures would have frozen up the slush and water that were left in the lot. Although it’s a normal expectation after almost 10 winters, I never get used to having to be uber-vigilant for the inevitable ice slicks along the way from the car to the building. This Monday morning, though, my mind was still in weekend mode and I decided that I would play a solo game of “hot lava” as I made my way across the pavement.
I remember when I was first introduced to this game back when I had three young, rambunctious kids with enough energy to power a small village. Screaming to each other, “Don’t fall into the lava,” they leapt from chair to sofa, stepped gingerly from sofa to coffee table, then down to a cushion on the floor, before beginning the circuit again. They were clearly having loads of fun in risking a tumble into the lava while encouraging each other to stay safe. I asked them what they were doing, as a house rule was “no standing on the furniture.” They screamed with delight “The floor is hot lava, Mama! If we fall into it, we’ll burn!”
The game was entertaining them all, from the three-year-old to the eight-year-old, and they were having such a good time that I let the hot lava adventure continue. Unless there were tears welling up, arguments breaking out, or bones at risk of breaking, I tried to let the kids play out their energy.
I’ve recently read that the hot lava game might actually be a form of play that served as training for young hunter-gatherers back in ancient days. Looking for and avoiding potential pitfalls and natural hazards are as important skills today as they were back then, right?
In fact, the skills needed to avoid the “hot lava” are pretty much the same skills adults need to keep from “stepping into the fire” in life. It’s good to be aware of how to move from point A to point B without falling into the metaphorical hot lava or being burned by our own carelessness and avoidable missteps.
While not everything in life should be considered fun and games, when you’re struggling with a situation that presents some risks on the way to a reward, adding in the adventure of a “don’t fall into the lava” mindset might be beneficial. Play has a way of sparking new ideas and generating new perspectives on things. If the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, then taking a new perspective on problem-solving is about as far away from crazy as it could be.
When faced with challenging circumstances, you can’t go wrong in adding a little levity to your perspective on the situation. It can change up the way you’re looking at a problem and may very well get you much closer to a solution.
