Episode 9: SACRED PLAY SERIES pt 4 | WHEN PLAY GROWS UP: Why growing up doesn’t mean giving up wonder
Why does play feel harder as we grow up? Why do so many of us, especially parents of older kids, feel disconnected from wonder, curiosity, and imagination? In this heartfelt episode, Julie Ann Luse opens up about what it means…
Why does play feel harder as we grow up? Why do so many of us, especially parents of older kids, feel disconnected from wonder, curiosity, and imagination?
In this heartfelt episode, Julie Ann Luse opens up about what it means to reclaim play in adulthood—not just for our kids, but for our own healing. From brain science and spiritual practices to awkward kayaking moments and tandem lawn mowing, this episode explores how delight gets lost… and how we can get it back.
This one’s for the parents of tweens and teens who feel like joy has gotten a little quiet. For the grown-ups who secretly miss wonder but aren’t sure how to recover it. And for anyone who needs a reminder that beauty and play are still available—and still sacred.
✨ In This Episode
We explore:
- Why adults lose access to play and how to reawaken it
- How culture, screens, and stress hijack imagination
- The neuroscience of synaptic pruning and neuroplasticity
- Myths we believe about teens and growing up
- What James K.A. Smith and Curt Thompson say about attention and desire
- How silence, presence, and curiosity can become sacred play
- A liturgy for reclaiming delight in your own life
Mentioned in the Episode:
Books + Experts:
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith
- The Soul of Desire by Curt Thompson
- Beauty Will Save the World by Brian Zahnd (title inspired by Dostoevsky)
Neuroscience Concepts:
Spiritual Formation Themes:
Liturgies and habits as formational practices (James K.A. Smith)
Jesus’s posture of curiosity (more than 300 questions in the Gospels)
The theology of wonder and playful presence
Explore More:
🎧 Explore Related Episodes
- Sacred Play Pt. 2: Silliness as Sacred Work
- Sacred Play Pt. 3: Sacred Imagination for Kids and Adults
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Listen to the full Sacred Play series
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Support the Podcast:
If this episode gave you permission to loosen up and laugh, would you consider:
✔️ Sharing it with a friend
✔️ Leaving a review on Apple Podcasts
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You never know who might need an invitation to play again.
