Don’t take life too serious is advice I live by every day. Sometimes, if I know someone is coming home soon, I will contort my body into a ridiculous position and hold it until they walk in.
Not a quick thing either. Not “I heard the car pull up, let me get ready.” I’m talking about holding a pose for an hour or more, just waiting.
The Giant Monkey Pretzel
Imagine coming home from a long day. You flip on the light and there I am: standing on one leg with the other tucked into my thigh, arms rolled up into my sides, torso tilted, cheeks puffed with air, wearing the goofiest smile you’ve ever seen.
A giant monkey pretzel in the middle of your living room.
Then I explain I’ve been standing there for over an hour because I thought it would be funny.
Their face is always worth the muscle cramps. The confusion. The laughter. The “what is wrong with you.” All of it worth it. Every single time.
The Equation
Here’s what I’ve learned: the more time invested in something absurd, the funnier it becomes.
Tying 500 hot dogs to a friend’s tree, each with its own string. Spending six hours toilet papering a house with 350 rolls. The more effort you put into the ridiculous, the more it pays off.
This isn’t just about pranks. It’s about commitment to a bit. To an idea that doesn’t make sense but you follow through anyway.
Half-hearted absurdity isn’t funny. It’s just weird. Full commitment to absurdity is art. And art requires suffering. In this case, suffering in the form of muscle cramps.
Why This Matters
Most people abandon absurd ideas before they become funny. They feel silly and stop. They worry what people will think.
But the magic is in the follow-through. In the willingness to stand in a stupid pose for an hour. In the dedication to something that has no purpose except making someone laugh.
The world takes itself too seriously. Sometimes the most important thing you can do is commit fully to something meaningless. Something that exists purely for the joy of it.
The Deeper Point
Absurdity is a form of presence. You can’t be anxious about the future while holding a monkey pretzel pose. You can’t dwell on the past while tying 500 hot dogs to a tree.
Don’t take life too serious. The serious stuff will happen whether you want it to or not. But the absurd stuff? That takes intention. That takes commitment. That takes choosing play over productivity.
Hold the pose. Wait for the door to open. Trust me, the payoff is absolutely worth every single cramp. And you’ll remember the laughter far longer than you’ll remember the pain.
This is the lens the Bible is meant to be read through.
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