There are those moments of motherhood that are just plain silliness. The silly outfits. The silly words that slip out of a child’s mouth. The silly memories that make you think, “Why would they remember that?” The silly giggles that no one can remember how they started, but they just won’t end. The silly ideas that end up being some of the favorite memories of all.
Silliness is contagious. Some people have a stronger tolerance that keeps them from laughing quite as quickly, and I wonder sometimes what they miss. However, I have to admit that some of my friends jump into silliness much faster than I do, so I guess I miss out on some things, too. Perhaps it’s just that we all have our own brand of silliness. Different things are funny to us.
But funny and silly aren’t quite the same thing. Silly is the nonsensical of life. It’s not a logical joke. It’s more spontaneous than that. It’s always tasteful and usually quite naïve. It’s unbridled joy that is a simple expression of life. It’s a breath of fresh air, a respite from the drain that happens when living a responsible life.
When I think of silly moments when my girls were growing up, I think about the crazy costumes they came up with from the deep blue basket of dress-up clothes. A pink tutu with a blue suede cowboy vest, green sweatpants, and red rainboots. A sequined strip of material tied around her head with a flowing gown with the waist hanging nearly to the knees. I would be in the kitchen and hear the clomping feet through the house, coming my way for a mini-fashion show. I was never quite ready for the grand reveal when I turned around. They weren’t trying to be silly. They were just using their imaginations. They would giggle, and I would nearly spit out my drink.
I think about the stories, the endless stories that created a disorganized spider web of details. I loved hearing their imaginations soar. Of course, sometimes I wished they’d soar a little faster, because those stories seemed to go on for hours at times. I couldn’t always giggle, because to them, storytelling was serious stuff. But if I didn’t giggle at the right times, I got in trouble! They’d often use props to tell their stories, especially the menagerie of stuff animals whose names I could never keep straight. They knew every single one, though, and there was usually a back story to each one’s life.
I remember the play times in the rain and a particular bike ride in the puddles that still makes me giggle. And there are the crazy dances, songs, and faces—that aren’t just far in the past! Silliness seems to run more rampant when kids are young, but silliness is just as fun—and perhaps even more important—as we get older. Maybe some people see it as immaturity, but others find it refreshing—like when I drove my youngest and several of her friends a couple hours to pick up food to surprise their youth minister with his favorite meal. It was a restaurant they all liked but rarely got to go to, and they were like kindergartners, pointing at this and that, posing for photos next to cardboard cutouts, and longing to go in the play area. The manager gave them stuffed animals before we left. She was as thrilled to get a spark in her day as they were to be there!
Sure, being mombarded by silliness might be frustrating when you’re trying to get your kids to focus. But maybe you need to focus on something else for a moment.
Enjoy a moment of silliness today!
Pure Purpose 