Why an Elderly Gentleman Rocking Out Made me so Happy!
Last Update: May 27, 2015 at 7:00 am
Today I saw something that made me smile. I grinned widely, enjoyed seeing Anothers Humour and felt lit up with Love and Gratitude right from the inside out.
Elderly Gentleman was getting his groove on, to Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” in the gas station by the soda cooler.
Why did this make me smile so much?
It lightens my heart to see Others having a good time.
I have to admit that years ago, I was a veddy veddy serious type. You see at 12 years age with my font of knowledge starting to blossom, I discovered I quickly knew a lot of things it seemed some people around me didn’t know. I could see people’s behavioral patterns, I knew why the old cooled cinnamon buns at the bakery had more value than the ones hot and fresh right out of the oven. I even remembered where one Aunt lived, and that we had to go under the bridge to get there, when we traveled to another town. I also discovered quite quickly, that just because I knew or Understood some things didn’t mean I was going to get credit for it, heard or have things go a way that would Serve. It meant because I was young, I was not allowed to have equal rights to Adults, for being able to say no to emotional dumping, to say “go away” to manipulative or controlling behaviors. In fact, quite the opposite. What I was told was that I was supposed to “respect my Elders”, by putting up with their behaviors even when they were uncalled for, toxic or someone was in the ego, just deciding to pull a power play. Because Life was hard in these regards, I decided (at this ripe old age of 12) that if I acted more serious, perhaps those around me would take me more seriously, and perhaps what needed to get across would be heard, Understood and my emotional rights would be taken into consideration, valued and acted upon. Enter the next about 18 years of my Life. Of being way too Amazingly and Awesomely Serious, it could have been my Serious Super Power.
PS: Being so fricking serious, really didn’t get me very far.
Interestingly enough, as it turns out, seriousness isn’t always the answer. In fact, sometimes being overly serious, is actually detrimental to our health and well being.
There are facets to our Life that are joyous, fun, flow filled and experiential. And we best enjoy these experiences by being able to take Life as it comes, see how it unfolds, and being willing to be Opened to Life as it is. This Openness to the Reality of the Now, in many moments is what Teaches us New Knowledge, that can expand our minds, Learning, Potential and show us new ways of Being. It is these positive experiences of Life, that can take us to our greatest heights. They take what we have learned through seminars, Teachers and books, and expand us beyond our current knowledge to show us just how wide and high we can go. When we learn how to be Taught through positivity, movement, Life as it is, we realize then how much more the Positive States of Being can Teach us than we could ever learn by the Negative, Being shut down, or shutting out other ways of Being in an attempt to Live Seriousness. Number one, this is because there is only so low you can go, and while some people can (and do) take negativity to new all time lows, eventually most people will stop going down to the Negative at a certain point, because they do not want to embrace the next kinds of negativity or the toxicity, pain, suffering or evil that can accompany it. And since the Positive parts of Life are what expand you up, out and into New ways of Being that Serve and Grow you even more, your Positive Aspects of your Highest Potential become never ending and fruitful and can take you to greater and greater realms. Thus, the Light and what Serves, along with Joy, Compassion, Understanding and Love, will being able to keep growing you for the rest of your Life, while you Your Self will put a kebosh on how low, dark and negative you will go. Some people will even take very serious steps to end the pain and suffering.
So why is over seriousness a bad thing? And what does it have to do with darkness (aka the absence of Light)?
Because being serious, is defined as:
1. of, showing, or characterized by deep thought.
2. of grave or somber disposition, character, or manner:
a serious occasion; a serious man.
3. being in earnest; sincere; not trifling:
His interest was serious.
4. requiring thought, concentration, or application:
serious reading; a serious task.
5. weighty or important:
a serious book; Marriage is a serious matter.
6. giving cause for apprehension; critical:
The plan has one serious flaw.
(As defined by Dictionary.com.)
And while to be clear, there are definitely times to take things seriously, such as making sure we meet our responsibilities, that the people (such as children) that are relying upon us have their needs met, and keeping promises that we have made as they are important to other people (your boss wanting you to be on time, or you understand the importance of your workers being on time for their job that you have given them). Yet if we look at definition number 2 above to start, and then bring all the other definitions into play, while being able to look at things that happen in Life, to be considerate of the effects actions or situations may have on Others in Life, being veddy veddy serious all the time, actually cuts out or puts off all the other flavors of Life. For instance, not everything in Life benefits by being gone over in deep thought as per number 1. Constantly thinking, actually puts us in our head… a lot. And while consideration is important, consistently thinking actually takes us out of experiencing the other aspects of Life mode. You can’t think while you are fully experiencing other facets of Life at the same time. It is impossible. Try it for your Self. You’ll find you can experience your thoughts about Life, or you can experience Life, but when you are experiencing Life while thinking, you’ll discover that the energy of the experience is less full than it is, if you are there simply being present to What Is, without your thoughts getting in the way. It is that presence to Life in its fullness, that takes us to the next levels of our experiences and learning. It is where we Blossom and Open more.
This is what we find when allow our Selves to Open to what the other experiences of Life are. We have access to Growth and New Places of Consciousness and our Being, that would be cut out or left out of our Life if we focused solely on the acting serious aspect. While doing serious does come in different flavors of how we experience that seriousness, it is only one small portion of Life, that we cut off from Being in if we live in only those few flavors all the time. While number 3 on the list denotes sincerity as a form of being serious, and a very good one at that, you can start out laughing sincerely at a good joke, yet as you laugh harder and harder while being in the moment, you discover you leave sincerity and simply Open up to new heights of laughter and humor. Sincerity is Authentic, and while you may genuinely be laughing authentically, there’s something about good humor that has sincerity lose its hold on it in the moment, where you lose all definition of what “Is” in the moment, and just Open up to Life. Life as it is in this moment, that actually goes beyond the mere idea of what it is to be “Real”. It has the Potential to become far more Expanded instead.
Lastly, humor and Laughter and Opening up to What Is, actually becomes the cure for “what ails us”. After all, why are we becoming so serious in the first place? Is it because we want to be taken seriously, as I did when young? Is it due to the fact that we want to be heard and acknowledged for our Gifts, for the Knowledge and Gifts that we have? To keep us safe from pain? To be shown that we have Value? To make a positive difference for Others in this World? The answers to all of these questions is yes, even as it shows up differently for each overly serious person in the world. And yet, what the people in each of the situations is asking for, is to be taken seriously, because they want and need to know they are loved and valued, and they think having their quests to be taken seriously fulfilled, will eventually make them happy. You are happiest when you and your knowledge and gifts are acknowledged and shown to have Value. People have the idea that they will be happy once they are finally free of pain. Some even think if they help Others to change, the world will be a better place to Live in, and they think that has to happen a lot, in order to be Happy their Selves. Thankfully, many beings experience some forms of happiness as they give to Others, to help make a positive difference in this world. And Change is needed, and the World would very much be a greater more beautiful place if we all showed up to do our parts, and to do our parts well. Yet the end of the Line of Seriousness here, is the hope that if they become overly serious, that this will gain them Love, Acceptance and Happiness. That it will somehow pull them out of their misery if they somehow have it, yet over seriousness cuts off and out in many moments, the very thing that one is seeking. It is easier to gain happiness, by letting happiness in, by being Open and present to the moment, to see what actually does tickle your fancy, and letting the waves of pleasure move you forward from there on in. It is a faster and more efficient stream line to joy, than pushing happiness out by attempting to be serious, because one hopes in the act of seriousness they may perhaps gain happiness. Happiness, Love and Acceptance are the Aspects of Life that heal, because they let you know that Life is worth Living, that this World can be a very Beautiful place, that it’s okay to let down the Self Defenses with Beautiful, Amazing people, that you will still be Loved and be absolutely Fine in your Life.
Elderly gentleman’s humor in the gas station, by rocking it out, helped my own Expansion a lot in that moment. He gave me the gift of genuine laughter, an authentic smile, the reminder to enjoy myself because Life is short, fun is present in many (and Surprising!) moments, and that Life is more pleasurable when I Live with a Smile on my Face. He also helped me to have fun in the moment, because since I was there to witness his joy, I had a good laugh and a giggle, I noticed the song, and did a little foot tapping, small leg wiggling and gentle head bobbin’ of my own.
To be clear, I didn’t “need” anything from him in the moment. My day had gotten better and better from the time I had woken up. While the initial first hour wasn’t the best day ever, I had gotten into my happy groove. Sunshine, a drive in the car, heading down to the States, getting my rice and beans at my favorite Mexican restaurant, are all guaranteed ways to put a smile on my face! I was definitely having a great day. But thanks to his inspiration, he helped take me in that time to the next levels of my own heights, happiness and well Being. Something that wouldn’t have happened if he had merely been being Serious at the time. He helped me to Live Joy in yet another moment, more than I would have, if I was on my own.
I am very happy that he enjoyed himself. I am very grateful to have been a part of that experience too!
Dear, Fun Loving Gent!
Thank you so much for rocking out to Katy Perry’s California Gurls at the Gas Station by the soda cooler. I had a great time and immensely enjoyed your freedom of Joy and Fun. Thank you for your Inspiration, and for putting a huge smile on my Face and a lot of Love and Gratitude in my Heart. Several hours later, I’m still that Amazingly and Awesomely Happy!
In Gratitude for You and Your Gift,
Elle Tara on News for the Soul Radio
~Elle Tara
Host of Enlightenment In The City
Heard Alternate Thursdays on News for the Soul