I have often pondered this question and each time I come to the two conclusions. Firstly life would be boring and secondly life becomes nothing. So often we can get so serious in life that we miss the funny moments that brings a smile to our faces, we stress so much that the wrinkles form in the wrong places like frown lines instead of laugh lines.
I myself have quite a few (I know its a shock) but I sport both the frown lines and the the laugh lines. At times growing up I would be so serious, I took life so seriously that I didn’t enjoy myself as much as I could have, I missed out on opportunities and ones I’ll never get them back.
The mistakes, silly mispronunciations and wit in life is everywhere if we are open to it. I have mentioned before in a few posts my many mistakes, some are rather big like knocking over the poor woman who was testing me during my driver’s test. Or the time that I opened up a porn site thinking that it was the address that the client had just given me only to find out that one letter misspelt can open up a world of things that cause nightmares.
My internal GPS often can get me into a tizz to the point left becomes right and right becomes left all the while people say my sense of direction is one of the best.
I often come up with new words out of the blue and act like that is the way its meant to be when in actual fact it was not, to the point while speaking to someone I apologised for my impeppermints, no I am not kidding. The impeppermints often sound so good that I continue to use them and my friends adopt them with huge laughter of course.
I often fall out of bed, have an array of bruises all over my body from walking into things all the time. Regularly I will miss the coffee cup when pouring myself one in the mornings and have been known to iron my own hand.
I look forward to each mistake that I make because it makes me laugh till I fall off my chair and get another bruise to add to the already big collection. I laugh at myself more than anything else because come on, it is funny… There are always two ways of looking at things, there is the serious way and then there is the funny way.
Yes, there are times when serious is good, there always comes a time to talk straight and to talk about serious issues or to concentrate but it does not necessarily have to be when you make a mistake, sure if it is a big serious one, study it, learn its lessons and then laugh about it. The big mistakes I have made in my life I have done just that, I get absorbed into the why’s, the how’s, etc, try to learn the lessons that are there and then I share them so we can all have a laugh.
Why do I share them? Because we all make mistakes, no matter who you are you make mistakes. Mistakes are a part of life, everyone does them and what would life be without them? In my opinion, absolutely boring!
Do I still iron my hand? No I try to avoid it when I remember, which is most days when I pick up an iron, otherwise I tend to buy clothes that do not require ironing. Lesson: There are always other ways around a problem, sometimes it is as simple as changing your course.
Do I still pour boiling water on my hands while making coffee? Yes often, but I now try to be a bit more awake before I make myself some coffee or if I am desperate and don’t want to risk it I ask someone else if they are around. Lesson: Know your limitations and accept them when necessary.
Do I know left from right? Most days I do and on the days where I think it will be difficult I mark an L on my left hand and an R on my right. Lesson: We are continually learning, why bother beating yourself up, instead help yourself.
Do I still fall out of bed, walk into walls, tables, etc? When I am not looking where I am going, yes. But these days when I enter a room or building I take a photo with my mind and keep it firmly lodged so that I know where all the obstacles are. Lesson: There will always be obstacles, if we open our eyes to the possibilities then the obstacles become less and there are more opportunities of avoiding them.
Do I still have impeppermint moments? Yes I have since started studying the dictionary in order to create my own which perhaps will be published so that I can share it with all that hear my spoken word. My first language is Audlish, second English, third Afrikaans, etc. Lesson: When we get something wrong it could be a blessing in disguise, bringing people together, situations together or just breaking the ice.
Do I drive? No unfortunately no one trusts me in their cars and I still can’t fathom out why! Lesson: Never stop laughing at yourself because when you stop then the downward spiral is one that is hard to climb back out of.
There is a lesson in every mistake we make if you are willing to look for them and learn from them.
Vanessa
•16 years ago
Today, I am the one grinning ear to ear!!
This one is perfect for me; I tend to take life WAYYYYY too seriously at times. Lately, I have been really trying to be lighter, to enjoy and laugh more than in the past, to not analyze every single thing. I have my share of bruising from furniture that jumps out, I have my share of new words that come flying from the mouth, but it all works out okay. We laughed so hard the other night we gave ourselves tummy aches!!! And, it felt so GOOD!!! Thanks for this, V.
SanityFound
•16 years ago
I am glad you are laughing, these moments can be classics and what is life without laughter! Keep on grinning and never let it get you down for there is always another tomorrow with fresh funniness in table corners! 😀 Glad you enjoyed it, thanks you 🙂
Robert
•16 years ago
Oh, not me. Nope. Way too serious.
Besides, there are already enough people laughing at me without myself joining in…
:o/
SanityFound
•16 years ago
hmmm you’re telling me you clicked on those links on that “other” site aren’t you… admit it! 😀
Robert
•16 years ago
Uhhh….
Visionary
•16 years ago
At least you never tried to answer the iron when the phone rang or is there something you want to tell us big ears 😉
As a kid I was full of beans and couldn’t keep my joy quiet. My dad was a bit quiet and found my exuberance e bit embarrassing. After a while, I learned to keep it all in to stop making my folks feel uncomfortable. They then proceeded to take the Mickey out of me for being too serious – Sheesh – how’s a kid supposed to win!!
Anyway a good few years back I read a story by Dan Millman an Olympic Gymnast. Which changed my serious outlook forever.
Dan was training in the local park one day, going through his impressive Olympic routine when he noticed 2 pretty female students watching him admiringly. Of course he turned it full on and showed them just how good he was. Were they impressed, you bet!
When he had finished his routine he started to get dressed. Trying to steal a peek at his admirers, he wasn’t giving what he was doing his full attention. As a result he accidentally put 2 feet into the same leg of his jogging pants and fell flat on his face.
The 2 girls were hysterical with laughter and guess how poor Dan felt. He went red with embarrassment and anger and started to feel all hot and flustered. We’ve all been there haven’t we?
Then he suddenly caught himself and saw the comedy of the situation from the outside. He realised he was only making it worse by getting angry and was making himself look even funnier. He let go of his anger and joined in with the girls laughter. At that moment the situation was transformed for him.
Ever since I read this story, I have tried to put it into daily action.
My biggest opportunity to put this into practice was about 5 years ago when my hairdresser slipped with the electric shears and the guard came off. Before he could react he had shaved a 2″ long landing strip up the back of my head. Have you any idea how white your skin looks under your hair 😮
That night I was going to a posh Summer Ball, a full on affair in Dinner Jackets and Ball Gowns. To try to hide the bald patch on the back of my head and to save me embarrassment at the ball he gathered some hair from the floor and glued it back on my head. I only hope it was my hair and not the woman who had her hair cut before me 😉
I could either get really upset about it or just laugh like Dan Millman.
That night I told everyone I met at the dinner dance what had happened earlier that day at the hairdressers and let people feel the stiff patch of hair on the back of my head. It caused so much hilarity and good humour that it ended up being the best Summer Ball our village had ever had. I met some people a few weeks ago that still talk about it today.
Living this way has made life so much more bearable and I’ve made lots of people laugh along the way 😉
As Dans’ teacher once told him: –
There are 2 types of people in life; you’re either a serious fool or a humorous jack ass.
Which would you rather be?
SanityFound
•16 years ago
Fab example and story! I am really giggling now at that story I can just picture it … mismatched locks and all!!! ROFL
Hmph you had to go mention that iron phone didn’t you… sniff … it was way way worse… brushing my teeth hear the phone, whipped it out my mouth and yeah the rest is up to your imagination. At the time I lived alone and literally rolled around the floor laughing, grabbing my stomach in agony, late for work what do I tell them… the story – hysterics and another legend “Oh have you met our recruitment specialist, careful not to phone her in the morning she answers with her toothbrush!” Hysterical
Dan’s teacher is wise, just love that quote – humorous jack ass is WAY more fun!
Ok going to have to stop laughing so hard soon… ouch my stomach!!! 😀
spillay
•16 years ago
Pravsworld looks interesting. Will have a good look later…… thanks for sharing ♥
SanityFound
•16 years ago
Yip they are fab 🙂
amberfireinus
•16 years ago
You know… each day… our group makes me feel more I don’t know empowered, stronger, alive. You all make me laugh, cry, anger me, make me think, make me react in some way. SF, you and I have shared so much laughter over the last few days. Silliness… its been so good for my soul. Its helped get me through all of the horrors I have been facing.
All of you have in your own way… thanks
SanityFound
•16 years ago
That’s what friends are for, they make the world go round when when we feel it going flat 🙂 *hugs*
ilegirl
•16 years ago
Great post! I am extraordinarily clumsy and have learned to laugh at myself quite a lot. What is interesting to me too is that in learning to be less sensitive/defensive, I find people respond with both more openness and respect.
SanityFound
•16 years ago
How true, just by the fact that we are willing to laugh and admit our mistakes makes people open to accepting their own 🙂 Never stop life is just too short not to have funny moments! lol
vishesh
•16 years ago
lol…i too make a lots of mistake…like banging my tiny toe into places,spilling stuff and telling right for left and vice versa…:) mistakes are the symbols of our inner needs i guess…
Martha
•16 years ago
Just realized you don’t see me nodding my head in agreement und understanding, so I thought I’d let you know! Sense of humor is a big one in my life. It does indeed lighten things up and make even difficult times bearable. And the clumsiness makes me feel more human somehow. My prize: putting the milk away in the cabinet next to the refridgerator, then requesting that the culprit who drank up all the milk fess up. Of course I cracked up when I found the milk shortly thereafter. 🙂
SanityFound
•16 years ago
ROFL I just love that!!! You know it sounds like me putting my sunglasses in the fridge and then accusing my younger brother of hiding them… This was years ago on one of my first trips to the UK, so off I went out albeit without sunnies and when I got back that night I found a neatly written note next to my sunglasses on the counter in the kitchen “Manufacturer warning: Sunglasses do not need cooling before placing on face” Man I cracked up and even now till this day if I lose anything I get “Check the fridge hun you never know what might be cooling”
SanityFound
•16 years ago
Vishesh 😀 Inner need for a laugh 😉 Yes my little toes are also skew from walking into the corners of things OUCH!