Don't Be Silly
Really. Why?
Why can't I be silly?
Why can't you?
Oh, yes.
I just looked up the definition:
adjective: stupid, unintelligent, idiotic, brainless
noun: nincompoop, dunce, nitwit, ninny
But,
the origin of the word
coming from Middle English
is "seely"
which means happy.
Now,
try on the mandate, "Don't be silly!"
translated - Don't be happy.
And there it is in a nutshell,
if I cannot be happy in this moment
then you should not.
And,
one thing my grandmother taught me
was that there are far too many things in this world
that are serious and bland.
"The worst thing you could be is a bore", she would say.
So,
A story:
Enter side stage:
Well, it really wasn't a stage
it was the door to the hallway into her bedrooms.
Nana would invite/instruct me to sit in her
gold Naugahyde reclining/rocker chair.
She would then say, "Wait, I want to show you something!"
Disappearing behind the hall door
I waited for her return.
Typically, she would would model
her new outfits hand-sewn by a neighbor.
Each new ensemble came perfectly paired
with her latest Sarah Coventry accent pin, or neckless.
But,
this time was different.
She busted into the room with a loud laugh
wearing an off white girdle
with
big
orange
polka
dots.
Who owns an off white girdle
with
orange polka dots?
Why?
That's silly!
Oh, yes!
The silliness erupted.
We laughed until our sides hurt.
And then she said,
"Put it on!"
I hesitated,
but every molecule of my "closeted" life
wanted to be silly just like my Nana!
So,
I put it on
and we had another round of side hurting
laughter.
It didn't stop there.
She said, "Come in the kitchen and let's see who can kick their leg the highest.
And we did.
We kicked up our legs
and she would mark our kick with a magnet.
"Don't be silly, the woman snipped
during a meeting at church."
Good heavens the last place to be silly,
to be happy
should be church.....
and I wonder
what Jesus would say to that?
That one silly moment in my life with my grandmother wearing that white, orange polka-dotted girdle
has stayed with me all these years.
Each time I remember her kicking up her leg in the kitchen,
I smile to the bottom of my being.
She taught me how to be happy,
because she had the courage and imagination
to
be
silly.
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