How to Play

I finished Michael Ende's "Momo" a couple of days ago and before I return the book and move on, I'd like to remark that the 7th chapter had excellent insights into the nature of toys and things...

"You can't play with a marvellous doll like this the way you'd play with any old doll, that's obvious. Anyway, it isn't what she's meant for. If you don't want to get bored with her, you have to give her things..." p.84

I never really did buy our children toys - although they inherited a enough - but their imaginations furnished them with endless hours of pleasure.

Elliot & Ghent children "fishing" from our shed roof

Pleasure that I hope has built resistance to the world's prevailing philosophy:

'All that matters in life,' the man in gray went on, 'is to climb the ladder of success, amount to something, own more things. When a person climbs higher than the rest, amounts to more, owns more things, everything else comes automatically: friendship, love, respect, et cetera. ... '