It may seem All Fools’ Day is about making fools of others but what it really reveals is that we’re all fools, as its original name suggests. When we remember that we’re all in this “human race” together, how can we not also remember that we’re all potentially foolish all the time — or should be. More accurately, we should always be willing to seem foolish. If, indeed, we are fools; we can only hope someone cares enough to call us on it but, moreover, that we’re paying attention when they do.
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
~ Mark Twain ~
“However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him.”
~ Nicholas Boileau-Despréaux ~
Why appear to be something you’re not? Particularly in a world where being real is once again becoming more recognized & rewarded, surely the goal should always be truth to self. Therein lies the foolish irony, it’s only in trying not to be fools that we become them. It’s in caring how we’re being perceived that we lose touch with what we could be perceiving. If, instead, we release our inner fool; we not only challenge, & hopefully surprise, ourselves but those around us.
“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage-to move in the opposite direction.”
~ Albert Einstein ~
“He dares to be a fool, and that is the first step in
the direction of wisdom.”
~ James Gibbons ~
An openness to foolishness may be our best protection against giving in to it. Much like it takes an open mind to mature as people, perhaps it takes an open soul to mature as humans. As we tap into our sympathy & even empathy with a ‘there but for the grace of God’ mentality, we’re able to set aside preconceived notions. If, in turn, we embrace each other’s foolishness; we begin to see people’s worth as relative, thus always present, rather than comparative.
“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.”
~ Dale Carnegie ~
“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows
himself to be a fool.”
~ William Shakespeare ~
Breaking free of the expectations we have for ourselves is how we begin to make sincere choices. In the process of making choices that matter, not just those that follow a plan, we explore the import of each one. Knowing our own hearts & minds is certainly simpler if each decision isn’t impacted by the all-too-human fear of being made the fool. If, intellectually, we start to consider alternatives that seem foolish at the outset; we may discover paths of purpose rather than just the smart, safe choices.
“Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.”
~ Charlie Chaplin ~
“A wise man remembers his friends at all times; a fool, only when he has need of them.”
~ Turkish Proverb ~
Giving equal consideration to so-called foolishness would increase our awareness of our own options & improve our appreciation of others’ choices. It’s no more justifiable to view someone else’s life through the context of your own than to never question what you’re doing with yours. Be the one to question yourself, don’t leave it to others. If, internally, we come to recognize happiness when we see it; we become ever more capable of experiencing it, by understanding it takes on a different form & function for everyone.
“There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man is really so; but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.”
~ Sir Francis Bacon ~
“A fool dreams of wealth; a wise man, of happiness.”
~ Turkish Proverb ~
(|_|*cheers*|_|)
“When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.”
~ Cynthia Heimel ~
“We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.”
~ Japanese Proverb ~
PS: With all the pranks that’ve been played this day, it’s my sincere hope you had a chance to revel in the silliness at some point. While I followed many a link & slowed the progress of this very post, Google continues to be my favorite source of foolishness (as well as productivity, talk about win-win). If you’re a Gmail user, you may remember their new paper offer. Another year, Gmail kept the paper electronic but offered a new feature. As desperately as I want an e-flux capacitor, nothing compares to this possibility! Since I’m an avid user of Virgin too, I was especially excited about this joint effort.
“It is the ability to take a joke, not make one,
that proves you have a sense of humor.”
~ Max Eastman ~
PPS: I’d like to leave you on a more serious note as April is Autism Awareness Month. Autism covers a huge spectrum of differently-functioning brains so there’s much to learn & awareness is the key to pursuing that knowledge. We must question the status quo & force answers to be found. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have only been collecting data since 2001!?
“If one does not understand a person,
one tends to regard him as a fool.”
~ Carl Jung ~
but I digress). So, if we rightly consider our dear planet a home we’re all sharing, perhaps that consideration of others’ homes can combine with concern for our visitors’ impressions.
