Reflect

In 1980s Poland, The Orange Alternative responded to authoritarian crackdowns on public gatherings by organizing surreal protests featuring gnomes. Their slogan? “We don’t need guns to fight a war — sometimes a gnome is enough.” Demonstrating a powerful mix of play and joy, their response to an oppressive government garnered a huge following and contributed to eventual regime change. Offering one of the most beautiful definitions of play, the theologian Martin Buber wrote, “Play is the exultation of the possible.” When we are playful, whether in action or in spirit, it is a kind of rejoicing in life, a way of giving thanks for — and sometimes protecting and defending — what matters most to us.