I remember when I embarked on an adventurous family reunion in Italy many years ago, and one of my cousins looked at me, and said, “Ari, is it fun in there?” She was referencing my mind, and made this comment after I cracked a barrage of puns, and other theatrical wit. Perhaps if my Italiano was better, then I could have disguised my cornball humor so that it would have read like a foreign language.
And then many moons later, I worked for a new School Principal who brought with her a book called Fish Philosophy into the school community we worked in together at the time. As our new administrator, she built in Fish Philosophy into our staff professional development to enact cultural norms encouraging us to “choose your attitude” and “make their day.”
The theme of Fish Philosophy is simple and was adopted from the famous fish market in Seattle, where the workers throw fish at each other, customers and have fun doing it. Imagine that . . . work and play going together, and that we have a choice in whether we do that or not in the school of life. Before I even read any of the book, a new coworker came up to me after a work related training, and made it a point to tell me that he had started reading the book, and said that I was a good role model of the book’s theme.
https://www.pikeplacefish.com/about
Since before I came out of the womb, I’m sure the cat and mouse part of my personality wasn’t part of my hidden self. As a boy, my mom said that I liked it when she read to me in the womb. Truly, I was probably already acting out the characters that she was reading to me. Most of the trouble I got into in school by teachers, and later in sports by coaches was my clowning around with people, and finding parody and jest in the everyday mundane encounters.
For example, one of my favorite coping strategies to introduce to kids (and adults) is the idea of imagining that the business of life is like playing a video game in your head. It’s been since I was in Middle School that I was a regular video game player, but when I came across that strategy, it resonated in me and many other students I worked with over the years. The Tai Chi classes I have taken also emphasized and embodied the idea of playing with form.
These days, most people expect to be entertained, and typically by someone or something else that they perceive to be outside of themselves; as in an external object of affection, like a pacifier. But the real trick is to discover ways to play with life. As other people take notice, it does tend to become contagious.
Just as an example, I like to play around with mindful breathing during a workout or exercise routine because it brings you into the present moment. Breathing mindfully also makes the workout or exercise routine feel less like work, exercise or a routine for that matter. And when I play my guitar, that’s all I’m doing is playing. It’s more fun that way.
Classroom Mothership Earth 