It's OK to be Goofy

Two or three years ago, I was skiing with my cousins.  Skiing is always a grand-ol' time for us, and a little friendly competition never hurt anybody.  What does hurt is when my ego gets in the way of having fun.  Sometimes, and i have been guilty of this, we are so concentrated on being the FIRST, the BEST, the FARTHEST, that we forget why we are here (-enter your favorite activity here-)-ing.  If you ski, it's OK to not be the best.  Are you having fun?  If you play basketball, it's OK to not be the best player there.  If you ride motocross, it's OK to not win all the time. 

I see a common issue coming here.  A little thing I call pride gets in the way of fun every now and then.  As human beings that aren't perfect, we sometimes let pride take over and we become so focused on satisfying ourselves and our own ego that we will forget why we are even doing our favorite activity other than to beat our neighbor at it.  All through the Book of Mormon, we see how the Nephites go through a cycle of pride over and over again.  So, what is OUR pride cycle?

So, what is a good way to diffuse our pride?  Well, from my approach (that of a skier / motorcycle-rider / whatever) a good way to forget about who's winning is to be goofy.  Laugh!  If you aren't having fun, why are you doing what you're doing?  It is our choice to have fun or not.  Are you smiling?  Are you laughing?  Are you laughing at yourself?  Are you laughing at your own mistakes?  Why not?

NOW THEN, this does NOT mean that you should be ANNOYING!  Help others have a good time too!  Don't make them hate riding up on the chairlift with you! 

-(I apologize to anybody I have annoyed on Sundance Arrowhead chairlift.  If you don't forgive me, get over it)

Another thing, I am not discouraging pushing ourselves and developing our talents.  That is one of the reasons we are down here on earth.  What I will encourage is to have fun and enjoy that process of learning and growing.  Don't get discouraged or angry when a horse bucks you off, get right back on and try again having learned from the previous fall and a sore back.  Click into ski bindings, kick-start that bike, put on a helmet and be ready to laugh and have fun!  It's OK if you make a fool of yourself once in a while.  It helps you learn.

As I write this, my cousins come to mind.  They are a good example of "it's OK to be goofy."  I will not lie, they are VERY silly.  I am also.  We have a lot of fun together.  One of the many things that they have all taught me is what I have written to you today.  I will always be grateful for their good example to me and how they help me learn that pride should never get in the way of your fun.  While being with them, I have learned all of these things and for all the laughs we've had. 

May you have fun in your jaunts through the forest, down the mountain, in the desert or wherever you be.

Don't forget to laugh.