It’s Okay to Laugh

The other day I made the morning drive to go swimming. It rained the whole way into town. Once I parked car, the rain poured down even harder. In order for this whole “swim before work” thing to be effective, I have to bring my dress clothes and shower items with me. So walking into the gym, I am usually laden with a stuffed gym bag and dress clothes on a hanger.

Again on this particular morning it was raining very hard. In an attempt to use good planning, I whipped out my phone, opened up a web browser and checked the weather app. I thought “ if there is going to be a break in the storm, I can SIT HERE and wait a couple of minutes.” Good planning right? Oh no, my concern wasn’t about the stuff I was carrying, I didn’t want to get MY HAIR WET…..before I went swimming.

Yes you read that correctly. I didn’t want to get my hair wet before I went swimming. And here’s the thing, that made perfect sense to me as I sat there checking the weather app. Then after about five seconds (which feels like an hour at 5:30 am), I realized how absurd that plan was and then cracked up laughing. I laughed all the way into the gym, carrying my heavy gym bag, hanger full of dress clothes, all while juggling an umbrella. Yea, that was hiding under my gym bag…on the back seat.

I’ll pause the story here until you stop laughing….

While I was swimming, I thought about that silly moment of reasoning. It really did make perfect sense. Most of the time when I am out in a hard rain, I try to avoid getting soaked. I’m sure that lots of people feel the same way. Then I found myself thinking about other times when I made a “plan” only to realize later that it was a bonehead idea. If I’m being honest, that happens to me a lot.

After a few laps (remember I am a SLOW swimmer), I concluded that Tinkering With Success is a process and not all of my plans are going to be winners. Some of them are going to be real stinkers. Part of living a full life is being able to laugh at oneself when you find that a plan is flawed, foolhardy or just plain funny. Every day brings moments of struggle. Heck, sometimes the entire day is a struggle.

So when you get the urge, laugh. Laugh loud and long. Enjoy it! Even if it happens when you’re sitting alone in a parking lot at 5:30 in the morning.

BLT