A Little Bit of Fun

Sometimes I get so focused on my work and my reading and my responsibilities, that I forget that God placed us here on the earth to enjoy life!  I have found a corrective in laughter. 

When my son was just a few years old, we loved to sit around the table and I would tell "knock-knock" jokes.  I did this of course because when your children are young they think that absolutely everything you say must be funny.  So it went like this.  . .
     Me:  Knock, Knock
     My Son:  Who's there?
     Me:  Pencil
     My Son:  Pencil who?
     Me:  Pennsylvania! 

And this was met of course with uproarious laughter.   I thought it was cool, and he was learning geography.   It went like this for some time.  I would tell a lame joke and my son would laugh hysterically.   When my daughters were born, they of course joined the rip-roaring laughter and we (and by this I mean of course myself) had great times around the dinner table telling all sorts of really good knock-knock jokes.

There were of course some days that did not feel like "knock-knock" days.  You know the kind - days when things did not go as expected and you felt as though you just wanted to go home, crawl into the covers and hope that tomorrow might be better.  Days that you did not feel at all like laughing.  Days when the responsibilities of life made you wish that you were six again and could just go outside and play.  I think it was on one of those days.

We sat down to dinner and began to eat.  My son spoke up and said, "Hey dad, wanna hear a knock-knock joke?"  I may not have wanted to, but what do you say to your young son?  "Sure son, go ahead."

    My son: Knock, Knock
    Me:  Who's there?
    My son:  Peanut butter
    Me:  Peanut butter who (at this point, not really sure what to expect and sort of upset that I have not heard this one yet.)
    My son:  NUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At this point he is nearly on the floor laughing so hard.  He clearly created this joke all on his own.  He clearly was so proud of the punchline.  And all I could do was laugh.  And in that moment none of the stress of the day mattered anymore.  Of course my daughters learned quickly, and for around a year or more it seemed like all we did was tell this knock-knock joke to each other.  Even to this day we sometimes bring it out.  And the louder you yell the punchline, the funnier it is. 

Some days we just need to remember that a little nuttiness is perfectly ok.  Some days we need to be a little less crunchy and allow ourselves to be smoothed over.  We  forget the child like innocence of Peter Pan.  And thank you for indulging me in a little peanut butter humor.  Remember to have a little bit of fun today.  And thank the God who put laughter and joy into the human experience.  May we thank Him and give Him praise!