Take A Joke!
The Wisdom and Joy of April
There's something about April. And it all gets off to a bang with April Fool's Day -- a holiday that is celebrated in some form or another, and at some time of year, in almost every country and culture. There must be an inherent form
of wisdom in this merry holiday.
Doing some research online, I found that the origins of April Fool's is somewhat of a mystery. Some say it all began when the start of the year was moved from April 1 to January 1 in the 1500s. Those die-hards who clung to April 1 as
New Year's Day were the April Fools.
Actually, it turns out that many believe that the Jewish New Year also used to begin in April, instead of it's current traditional time in late September. After all, it makes sense that the year would begin in April -- it's the
beginning of the Spring season (at least in the northern hemisphere!), when the world is coming back to life again. In fact, many of the spring holidays -- for example, Easter and Passover -- use symbols that represent the renewal of
life, the egg being primary among them.
As we're eating, painting, and searching for eggs this April, let's remember to get some egg on our faces too! Let's rejoice when we experience that the joke's on us. April Fool's Day reminds us that no matter who we are -- rich or
poor, old or young -- we are all fallible. We are all the fool sometimes. Somehow it's invigorating to chuckle at our own follies. What a great way to start spring -- by lightening up!
It seems that a key element of a good April Fool's joke is the element of surprise. Maybe its function is somewhat like Gurdjieff's "shock" that I talk about in
Active Consciousness. When we're caught off guard in a clever prank, it suddenly wakes us up out of the trance of life, at least for a moment. Things aren't quite
as they seemed! We're reminded, in that instant, of the folly of our common expectations and of our all too serious stories.
Embedded within the prankstery of April Fool's is also the license of the Fool. It's always been the role of the comedian to poke fun at authority. The wisdom of the "Fool" is as true and powerful today as it was in the day of the
court jester. Even our legal system recognizes this, giving wider latitude for the use of media images and material for purposes of satire. Not only is the Fool wise, but we as a society are often made wiser and better by being made
fun of. There is something uniquely human about a good joke.
So have fun this April! As spring wakes us from our winter slumber, have a good laugh at your own expense and start with a fresh new outlook. Rejoice in being the fool! You'll be happier and wiser, and your heart will feel a bit
lighter too.
