I have been walking around for the past few days a tad melancholy about life: what more can I do to help people in need, what more can I do to get the most out of life, what more can I do at work to make my career more productive?  Why is it that one moment I can feel so positive and ready to take on this world and five minutes later, I feel dejected and pessimistic and apathetic about it all? 

Crazy kids

I always remember a letter my dad wrote to me after I graduated high school.  It consisted of lots of good advise and wise words but what struck me to this day are three words: “Life is crazy.”  He went on to advise that you just have to laugh at all of the craziness and not let it weigh you down because after all, it’s crazy and what else can you do with crazy but roll with it and have a good time.  I pull those words out of my pocket almost every day, especially with M&M who always remind me that my life is crazy, unpredicatable, and sometimes maddening and “rolling with it” is a lot more fun than stressing about it.

And, I have finally come to the realization that it’s good to constantly question where you are and what you are doing in life – it allows for growth and wisdom.  However, I must admit that The Onion article nearly had me convinced to turn a blind eye to my life questions.  After reading it, I was ready to shove those hefty life questions off my shoulder and move onto bigger and better things like what I should wear tomorrow and what color I should dye my hair….!  One clip was particularly insightful:

“Based on the results of their study, researchers have urged individuals not to waste their time trying to find answers to why it’s all such a fucked-up charade, questioning whether it has some higher purpose, or attempting to devise some way to avoid it—such efforts being futile gestures that would only “play right into” the universe’s trap.

‘There appears to be no escaping the feelings of humiliation, emptiness, and despair this barbaric joke exacts on everyone,” said Nobel laureate and professor emeritus of psychology Daniel Kahneman. “However, trial studies show humankind is far better off when we push it all into the back of our heads, try not to think about it, and just trudge mindlessly toward death.'”

But after much thought, I decided to stick with my old man’s advice to roll with life and all of its punches because, after all, life is crazy and you might as well embrace it and have some fun.