Axioms…from my perspective

i’ve decided to dedicate thursdays to giving some of my personal life axioms…truth that, from my perspective, is self-evident.  sometimes practical.  sometimes philosophical.  sometimes whimsical.  but truth, no less.

“fun is not what you’re doing, but who you’re with.”

we live in a culture that values fun and having a good time more than just about any other value.  “will it be fun?” has been the question that has driven generations of kids for my entire life.  i know there was a time in our culture (years ago) where things like work ethic and the common good and civic duty and even the right thing were values that motivated us.  but not so much in my lifetime…and definitely not in the majority of kids i have worked with through years.

i think i can say, with great confidence, that we have pretty much missed the point.

there is nothing wrong with fun.  it is important.  it is motivating.  it breathes life into situations.  when it is missing, is sucks away energy and drains us.

life is full of things that are not fun.  war is not fun.  surgery is not fun.  defeat is not fun.  losing a friend is not fun.  making a fool of ourselves is not fun.  a crushed dream is not fun.  death and separation are not fun.  need i go on? but that is why the time that is sandwiched between life’s painful realities needs to be fun.  and i’m all for it.

let’s just make sure we have the right perspective.

fun is not the activity.  fun is the fundamental attitude we can bring to almost any situation we find ourselves in…even some of the darkest ones.  fun needs to be found in the interactions we have with people.  fun is who i’m with. fun is being with good people.  fun is the expression of our god-given nature…it is living out the mandate that “it is not good for man to be alone.”

when i am living life with people…and i really mean with people…serving can be fun.  getting dirty can be fun.  failing can be fun.  being afraid can be fun.  going to a concert by a band we don’t like or eating at a restaraunt with food we don’t enjoy or watching a lame movie or visiting a suffering friend in the hospital or….or, or, or… can all be filled with fun.

it certainly takes a change of perspective, but laughter and enjoyment can be experienced just about anywhere and just about any time.

#friends #fun #laughter