Episode 52 - Reviving the Nostalgia of a Childhood Chestnut Game in the NOW

The Hopeful Humanist Cafe

Aesculus Hippocastanum! In this episode, I will tell you how to have a chestnut fight. I believe it is a North American variation of a game that is called ¨Conkers¨ in England and has been played for generations. I try to weave some additional thread-like thoughts from Thich Nhat Hanh and Maslow´s Hierarchy of Needs into the discussion in the hope of fostering an opportunity for love and belonging. I leave the listener with the question: Knowing it is tough to be a kid amidst these Covid-19 times of ours because there is so little to do on the school yard during recess (i.e. no singing, no playing soccer, no playing tag, no basketball, etc.), should we revive and bring back to the school yard the chestnut fight? What do you think? What does common sense have to say about it?

Resources:

1) Here is the only video on YouTube I was able to find that explained how to have a chestnut night. It is cute and informative - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ_0V_BhA20&t=16s

2) This video shows how to play the traditional game of ¨Conkers" in England -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GaGw73LijM

3) Interested in information about the chestnut tree, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ec2_lUFLo0

4) ¨A year in the life of a horse chestnut tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sobEaRpag6Y

5) Want to learn more about the plight of the American Chestnut tree? SciShow has these thoughts about ¨Bringing Back the Lost American Chestnut Tree.¨ Click here for the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe4G9tTzeW0

Thanks for joining me! As always, the conversation is on-going and continuous. Peace, Take Care, Be Well, and Share!!