the theology of fun

Spontaneous.

Flexibility.

Unscheduled.

Throwing your cares into the wind!

Those words are what come to my mind as the basic creed of fun.

Don't believe me?

Then lets take a short trip into the abyss of your memory.

Think of the last time you had fun.

Like really had fun.

Are you remembering?

Now tell me...

...was it an activity that seemed to develop on a whim?  Spur of the moment?

Did you let certain things just roll off your back?  

Did you disregard your basic plan for the day?

Did the things that {you thought} were important, all of sudden, not matter?

hhmmmm...?

I grew up in a home that was quite orderly.  Life was maintained by plans, schedules, and routine.  Participating in an activity required a "counting-the-cost" session:  deciding if such exertion was worth it.  Will it exhaust me?  How long will it take to get there?  How long will we be there?  What time we will get home?  When will the little ones get their nap?  What will we eat?  etc...{you get the idea...}

And I had intrinsically developed such a way of life for myself. 

Until I met Mike.

While dating, I was big into 'proving my worth' as a future wife.  So naturally, I enjoyed cooking for him.  One particular Friday night, I suggested he come over early in the morning and I would make him pancakes for breakfast.  I joked, saying, we could even go buy some "real" Vermont syrup from the store to drown our pancakes in.

"Why not just drive to Vermont, find a "mom & pop" diner off the highway, order some pancakes, and drown them in "real" Vermont syrup, while in Vermont?" Mike suggested.

And can I tell you?  That was one of the most fun times we have ever shared together.
I still smile when I think about it.  

Mike and I have, since then, created a ton more spur-of-the-moment-memories.  

All based on spontaneity, flexibility and my "Day|Runner" left in the dust.  

And if you think about it some more...all those fun things you sat around and "planned" and "mapped" out, don't usually turn out so great.  They find a way to disappoint and discourage.  Because, it never goes the way your head thought it was going to go.  The drive home is filled with moping and complaining.  True? 

So let me leave you with this...

...it's all about the process not the product.

If it comes to your mind, stop thinking and go do it!

The memories will you create and the fun you will have will be worth all the possible "costs" involved.
Trust me.

 Just like my idea to go strawberry picking this morning.
It. was. SO. much. fun!