It’s good to be ambitious. It’s good to have dreams. It’s good to be productive. It’s good to work, work, work. In this life, you have to strive. You have to push yourself. You have to work harder than anyone else and want it more than anyone else if you want to get ahead. Our American society is very much a work and toil and sacrifice-driven society.
Kids today are being prepped for college as early as elementary school. College students are bending over backwards and stressed to the breaking point in order to make the grade. Adults wander around like zombies, with dead eyes and listless spirits because they work so hard that it’s consumed their very being. It’s kind of scary.
It’s been engrained in our heads that if we don’t make the big money and have super successful careers then we don’t amount to anything in this world. And okay, yes, I’ll admit that it is good to have a career and make money. i’m not saying it isn’t. Jobs are good. They keep our world in balance. We need people with jobs of all kinds. But I feel like it needs to be said every now and then that it’s also okay to have fun. Work and ambitions don’t need to control your life. In fact, I don’t think they should.
Last night, I hung out with one of my best friends. We both had stuff to talk about. Somewhat heavy, but nothing too bad. After we finished talking, we kicked off our shoes, poured ourselves some wine, and played Mario Kart. That is not something I would normally be doing on a work night. That’s usually when I do most of my writing. But you know what? It was great. I loved just hanging out with her, laughing, and playing some good, old-fashioned Nintendo.
John Lennon sang, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” I love the extraordinary moments in life, seeing a new place or publishing a new book. But those precious ordinary moments of fun and laughter and just being with the people you love, those are the moments that really make a life. Please, goof off. Have fun. Be silly. Remember to enjoy. Life is worth it.
A Platform of Sorts 