Happy Birthday, LEGO!

Happy Birthday, LEGO! Today, you celebrate 60 years.

LEGO bricks aren’t just for kids who want to develop motor skills and for adults to step on.

No. The lovable interlocking LEGO bricks teach patience, perseverance, creativity, and problem solving.

They also help you understand how to perform complex tasks with ease. They can be used to generate new ideas or develop old ones. They can help you relax and reduce stress and anxiety. (Even British Soccer star David Beckham claims to have bought the Taj Mahal set and the Tower Bridge set to help him relax.)

I’m no David Beckham, but I can claim at least one similarity. If you visit my office—whether at home or on campus—you may see loose LEGO bricks at the conference table or completed sets on the shelves.

Between long classes or student meetings, I sometimes take a few minutes putting together the next Star Wars set or constructing a small model based on a legal concept or hypothetical I discussed in class.

I use that time as an opportunity to decompress and relax before the next high-intensity task begins.

So if you’re looking for a new hobby, get in touch with your inner child and start playing with those bricks again.