Fun
“Being able to witness almost paradoxical reactions to situations and environments taught me that I can be perturbed in paradise and peaceful in prison.”
“Are we doing anything fun today?” is a question that I get asked often as a middle-school teacher. Since the idea of “fun” is subjective to our attitude about an experience, I usually reply with something along the lines of “Are you going to have an attitude that enjoys whatever we do today?”
Growing up around both Disneyland and a funeral home provided a strange combination of experiences. One place was called the Happiest Place on Earth and the other could have been considered one of the saddest places on Earth. Being around both contrasting environments showed me that it isn’t always a place that evokes a particular emotion; it is the mindset that we bring into the place.
One might think that being at Disneyland would be a fun experience for anyone. While I can say that after having an annual pass for 30 years I have never been sick of Disneyland, I can also say that there were many adults who displayed fits of anger and little kids who sobbed their eyes out at the Happiest Place on Earth.
One might also think that being at a funeral home would not include bouts of laughter and joy. While there were many times that I heard heart-wrenching cries at funerals, I also heard Elvis impersonators receive rounds of applause and people laughing as fond memories of their loved ones were shared.
Being able to witness almost paradoxical reactions to situations and environments taught me that I can be perturbed in paradise and peaceful in prison.
What is it that makes the difference? It could be that the difference is the attitude with which we approach a situation. That attitude is cultivated by the intentional choice to enjoy the moment. This attitude is evident in one of my favorite hymns by Horatio Spafford. The lyrics “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, Thou hadst taught me to say, ‘It is well…with my soul’” provide an attitude of calm contentedness, regardless of the contrasts of circumstance. Just because it isn’t easy to cultivate this mindset does not mean it is impossible. It takes time.
It might be time to remember that fun is what we make it.
It might be time to bury and grieve the idea that “fun” is manifested in something outside of ourselves in places or tasks or people.
It might be time to remember the paradoxical reality of what can happen when we focus on our attitude in any situation. With no disrespect to grieving a loved one, something that has always stuck in my mind that helps me with this idea is what my dad (who was a funeral director for over 40 years) used to say, “After all, what are the first three letters of the word funeral?”