Sheer joy flickers across her face as a lope turns into a run giving her the momentum to propel herself into the air a split second before flopping belly down on the muddy river bank. She hurls headfirst down the embankment toward the chilly water below, but no fear mars her carefree expression. With a splash she disappears only to surface again, roll onto her back, and float peacefully downstream. Inactivity does not hold her interest. So, with a low-keyed chuckle, she pulls herself out of the water, climbs the steep bank, and repeats the running belly flop onto the muddy slide.

     Does this sound like a happy child at play? Perhaps. But the young lady making such joyful sport at the river's edge is an animal instilled with a delightful passion for play rare among the fear weary creatures of a sin ladened world.

     "If an otter can't have fun doing something, it just simply won't do it. This might be an exaggeration, but only a slight one, for the otter seems to make light of nearly everything it does and is without a doubt the most fun-loving of all our native wildlife. Whether traveling, feeding, or merely enjoying the family group, it finds time for fun and games," according to E. Park who wrote The World of the Otter. What a wonderful lesson for those of us who live in a fast paced, stressful society that seems to consume us and our families.

     The river otter doesn't neglect its work, however. This creature stays neat and clean. It keeps its young well fed and well protected, but the sleek water mammal still finds time to play.

     Studies show that recreation and laughter are important for our health and mental well-being. These studies offer insight into God's design and original plan for His children­a plan including time for fun which is vital for restoring the mind and body. While it is important to fulfill home and work duties, it is also our duty to refresh ourselves, to take time to enjoy this gift of life as God intended­to find joy in our families and our surroundings as the otter's play exemplifies so well. To better understand this notion of playfulness, let's take a closer look at this intriguing creature that enriches our land. The otter is a fur-bearing member of the mustelidae family to which weasels, martins, minks, ferrets, badgers, skunks, and wolverines also belong. But having cousins notorious for their quick tempers, aggressive natures, and somewhat cranky dispositions doesn't seem to have dampened the otter's love for fun or its natural curiosity.

     Though different in temperament, otters share several traits with their less congenial cousins. All members of the mustelidae family have five toes on each foot, a flat, broad head, and a short muzzle. The majority have slender bodies, short legs, and scent glands which are not as highly developed as in various types of skunks.

     Other noteworthy characteristics are the distinctive reputations of certain species. Weasels, wolverines, and badgers are known for their ferocity. Martins and fishers have reputations as acrobats. Skunks­well, a skunk's reputation speaks for itself. Minks exhibit luxurious fur, and while otters also have much sought after fur coats, otters are better known for their inquisitive and playful natures.

     Unlike almost all other wild animals, otters are playful when adults as well as when young. While also showing signs of being intelligent, friendly, and inquisitive, their antics of sliding down a steep bank of mud or snow and plunging into water or a snowdrift are not a happenstance or rare observation.

     Why is it that so many older people, as well as animals, seem to loose this zest for life? Granted, adults are more mature and have roles to fulfill and responsibilities to fulfill. The heavy stress of living in the adult world can be overwhelming, but might it be less so if we learned a lesson form the otter and began to live a little less intensely? Would our daily routine become less of a drudgery if we turned our work into enjoyable play as the otter does?

     Perhaps too many adults think that they have no room for play in their lives. Some may even think that serving the Lord means being somber and serious all the time, and while God certainly doesn't want us to be frivolous and waste the time and talents with which He has blessed us, He does expect us to be joyful in all things­even trials can contain an element of joyful faith in God's care and compassion. Some examples of Scripture that point us to a life of joy are: "Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:4). "With trumpets and the sound of a horn; shout joyfully before the Lord, the King" (Psalms 98:6). "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4).

     The otter has other unique features, molded by a loving and thoughtful Creator, to make aquatic life easier. The nostrils on its broad black nose and its small, rounded ears close when the otter is underwater. It has long, stiff, highly sensitive whiskers connected to large facial nerve pads, which help the otter catch its prey and even judge the size of underwater burrow openings. The creature's hydrodynamic body is long, lean, and muscular, ending in a powerful tail which is extremely thick at the body end and tapers to a point. Designed for use both on land and in the water, the tail often serves as a rudder to help the otter navigate while swimming; then it doubles as a third hind leg to help the otter balance when it is standing upright to survey its surroundings.

     Short legs appear to make land travel difficult for the otter, but not so. While maneuvering on land can't compare with the grace and speed the otter exhibits in the water, it travels quite well with its four feet and legs. These characteristics give evidence of thoughtful planning and design by the Maker. The webbing between each of its five toes further aids in swimming while the front toes are quite dexterous and capable of skillfully handling even small objects. All twenty toes have well-developed claws perfect for digging, and the northern river otter's feet are even more specialized. The rear pads on its hind feet have four small, rough protuberances probably to give the animal added traction­a useful feature for an animal that loves to play on snow and ice. The southern river otter that makes its home in Mexico and tropical Central America lacks these traction pads.

     By no accident or haphazard planning were the creatures of this earth made. All are uniquely suited to their own special places in the order of Creation. "And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:25).

     "Intelligence in animals is very difficult to determine because we tend to judge animal behavior by human standards, and this could be very unfair to the animals being judged," explains Park in the otter book. "Curiosity is considered a measure of animal intelligence, as is wariness in the face of danger or potential danger. An animal that plays is considered more intelligent than one that does nothing but eat and sleep." Problem solving and learning to do tricks or to work are also standards by which we judge animal intelligence. The otter rates high in all of these areas.

     As in most situations, otters turn solving a baffling situation into a game. They easily learn to open the latches on many cages, and they are also adept at learning through imitation. Emil Liers of Winona, Minnesota, reports that one of his otters learned to retrieve ducks by watching his Labrador retriever hunt.

     Otters also appear to converse with each other. An explosive snort made by expelling air through its nostrils signals danger. When angry, backed into a corner, or in a fight, an otter will scream. A friendly chirping that can be mistaken for a bird is used for conversation, but it is the low-keyed chuckling that is most frequently heard­a sound that can be uttered underwater as well as on land. What sound could be more appropriate for an animal that seems to find such joy in life?

     The otter's coat is specially designed to keep the otter warm and dry with two layers of rich, thick fur. The under layer is short and soft while the outer layer is long with much stiffer shiny, dark brown hairs. While the color of the fur may vary somewhat according to the species, few other animals have coats as highly valued by man. Both river and sea otters have been hunted and trapped almost to extinction because of their durable and luxurious fur.

     While the otter's natural habitat range includes most of the United States, in many states otters are rarely, if ever, seen. Their natural inquisitiveness has made them easy prey for hunters and trappers, who value the fur far more than entertaining antics.

     Perhaps as a compensation for the curiosity that makes them so vulnerable, otters have been blessed with very keen senses. Their short-range vision is excellent, as is their sense of hearing, smell, touch, and taste. They also have an excellent sense of balance. Otters will skillfully juggle everything from pebbles to food in their paws and on the ends of their noses.

     As social creatures, otters seem to especially enjoy playing in groups. In addition to their aquatic acrobatics, groups of otters play energetically in drifts of snow during the winter months. They spend much time digging tunnels and passageways under deep drifts to allow easier travel from place to place as well as to provide a fun filled underground maze.

     Watching otters at play, we can't help but catch their enthusiasm for life. A smile will surely tug at the corners of our mouths as we watch their joyful antics. Romping in the fresh air and sunshine, delighting in the world a loving God created for them, turning mundane chores into joyful pleasures­otters can serve as great examples to all.

     Jesus says it clearly, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, . . . and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:29-30). Even Jesus displayed the importance of coming away from all the toil on occasion to refresh the mind, body, and spirit. Re-creation and a newness of life can be ours. God did not provide the example of the otter to be ignored. Our industriousness and ability to be of service to others will certainly flourish with vigor if joyful physical activity is in balance with our mental efforts.

     Won't you take a lesson from the otter? Take a little time to enjoy the world around you. Arrange to spend a day refreshing yourself in nature. Set an example for your family by making daily chores fun through your actions and attitudes. Make the people you love feel special by taking a little time out of your hectic day to play with them. Make a joyful life as unto the Lord.

     Derinda Walker writes from Georgia where she works in publishing and studies the wonders of God's Creation.