The Art of “Silly”, Silly

I often thank my lucky stars for having the "easily amused" gene. It may seem shallow at times, but it’s really what I need to do to rise above and reach a certain depth in my everyday existence.


The ability to find delight in random little things is an act of survival. Without this, it's harder to bounce back from disappointments and challenges. Without this, we are less in tune with and less appreciative of what we have around us.

I like erasers. I admit I really do. As a child, I had this Danish Cookies tin box that I kept under my bed. In it weren't sweets, but rather a wide assortment of erasers in every shape and scent. I even put them perfectly in place in the plastic mold tray (ok, I just told you too much). I never really used them, but they were there for me to look at and be delighted. Silly yes, but I was onto something.

While I don't keep a tin can under my bed anymore, I do have a number of little things still around that make me smile when I need to. For instance, I have a "Chinese Combo Lunch" Robot set. One is a beef bowl 'bot, the other an Oolong Tea. Together they fight off alligators and Account Executives on my desk.


I don't mean to be constantly going nuts and raving joyously at anything and everything. That would be too annoying for everyone around you. What I do mean however is looking for joy, humor and value in unexpected places or situations. And when there's none, create it. This is why I love torturing one of my co-workers. In always trying to one-up each other in fun little ways, we find “comic relief” in an otherwise monotonous environment. I also smile at this homeless man's jokes every night as I pass him on my way home. Sometimes I even laugh out loud 10 seconds after, when finally I get the corny joke. And just like that, it could turn my day around. And his.

Every day will always be a constant battle for all of us to stay up and running, but when we find amusement in things or in people, it gives us a little boost to keep going. This is not silly, it's how we get a fighting chance at happiness in life. For only when we allow ourselves to laugh at ourselves, can we be prepared for the more serious stuff up ahead.