Labor Day and Legos

Today, on Labor Day, I decided to do anything but labor.  Instead, I reached into my creative place and started a LEGO project.  About three minutes in, I was certain I had bitten off more than I could chew. My immediate response was to message my LEGO Master, Kole, and ask if he could just come home and do it for me.  He didn’t  respond.  I’m guessing he knew I needed to figure this one out on my own.

I love memories. I love thinking about the “olden days,” which is probably why I love the new saying, “Be patient with me. I’m from the 1900s.” I mean, technically, I am.

I had a bucket of LEGOs growing up. I remember playing with them mostly on the stair steps. And for whatever reason, I was always building guns. I have no idea why. Apparently, that was my creative calling.  Then Kole got really into LEGOs, and it became Grandma’s job to find the coolest LEGO set she could for Christmas. Out would come a big white sheet to put on the floor so we didn’t lose tiny LEGO pieces in the shag carpet. Then he would open package after package until the newest creation was finished.  There have been so many cool things built over the years. And, of course, so many LEGOs have also been stepped on by Stuart along the way.  There may be no more effective reminder to slow down than a LEGO brick under a bare foot.

Now, years later, I find myself working with kids in therapy, and there is something about LEGOs that make the conversation a little easier.  These days, it’s the Kaleigh LEGOs that get the biggest workout. My girls love building elaborate mansions, creating little worlds, and coming up with scenarios that somehow require about 47 more LEGO pieces than we actually have.  One of my favorite session was when one sweet girl decided to create a picture of what she thought my family looked like. She built a whole little scene and, of course, included my bald husband.  I thought it was perfect.

The kids I work with challenge me to be more creative. And after some of the harder stories I hear each week, there is something really refreshing about ending the day building something, coloring, painting, or just imagining.  Creativity is so powerful, giving our brains somewhere to go besides the constant scroll where we can spend hours consuming other people's lives, opinions, pictures and videos without ever stopping to make something of our own.

So my challenge for you today is to stretch yourself a little bit.

Make a craft.
Buy the LEGO set.
Paint something.
Try a recipe.
Take a picture.
Plant something.
Write something.
Or build something with your kids or grandkids.  And if you're terrible at it, even better.  You don't have to be creative to create.  Sometimes you just have to be willing to sit down, put your phone away, and give yourself permission to play.  You may discover that the thing you thought would take three minutes takes three hours. You may lose a LEGO piece. You may paint outside the lines. You may have absolutely no idea what you’re doing.  And you know what?  That might be exactly the point.  Sometimes the best breath of fresh air comes from stepping away from what we have to do and making time for something we simply want to do.

So here’s to a little less scrolling and a little more creating. 

Now…if anyone needs me, I'm still working on my LEGO project.  And I’m still waiting for Kole to call me back.