In Praise of Silly

We are programmed at birth to be silly. Our parents tolerate it until such time as we are deemed "big" boys and girls. Growing up is synonymous with sillying down. Suddenly we're too old for this type of behavior, but it's not something that can be switched off swiftly. It takes varying amounts of time, but most of us eventually toe the line, cast off our childish thoughts and actions and turn our attention to more serious matters.

Silly isn't something we naturally outgrow. We must be taught to "tone it down". And it would negatively impact our studies and professions. So we tuck away our puckishness until we have our own offspring to entertain. It gives us joy and pleasure to make our children laugh by indulging in exactly the same type of shenanigans we were taught to shed like a soiled diaper. And as our children grow it's our turn to rain on their parades.

But what if that silliness is, in fact, a vital aspect of our psycho-somatic selves, a protection mechanism against the deadly serious aspects of life? A defense against the ever-growing cynicism of the modern age. In the global community (an oxymoron if ever there was one), we are constantly exposed to the twenty-four hour news cycle. Some poor soul meets an untimely end in a remote corner of the world and they are offered up as info-tainment, a monotonous drumbeat of doom and destruction, often watched from the comfort of a cozy home.

The helplessness is palpable. Empathy and worry are the only ways to express our solidarity with the afflicted. Watch the evening news and a sleepless night is assured. Certainly it's no stretch to hypothesize that the ensuing distress impacts our health. Sedation is often sought by prescription, over the counter and under the table.

There is another way. Get in touch with your silly self. Do something stupid, laugh at something inane, tease, joke, cajole, poke and prod. Speak gibberish, the official language of the silly. Wake up the sleeping infant. Alka Seltzer for the soul. Endorphins flow, the mood elevates and somehow we reconnect with that blissful state which lies dormant, not dead. You can do it in private or with a trusted confidant. Public silliness could easily be misinterpreted, so always indulge in a protected environment. And it's legal!

Start slow and work your way up. Silliness has to be reacquired in stages.

Often I've been accused by those I love and trust as being too silly. Guilty as charged.

It's a sentence I'm happy to serve.