JUST FOR FUN

I don’t have to search far into my memory to remember when I used to play with paper and wooden boats in the stream that formed on my street when it rained. Even underwater, my friends and I would compete to see which boat would reach the winning line first and who could build the strongest one. It was all just for fun and we didn’t really care who would be the “big winner”.

How long has it been since we did something just for the fun of it? Since when did we stop enjoying the moment and doing something just to feel good, without calculating how much we would gain from the endeavor or what other people would think if we won or not? It’s hard to say.

We are stuck in a competitive loop that has come to life and doesn’t seem like it will diminish for a long, long time. We are so used to humiliating the opponent and “winning” whatever it is, even if the competition consists of racing to catch the taxi on the corner first. Or to see who would finish lunch.

All these routine competitions are nothing but childish and insipid nonsense, a vain attempt to fill the void in our souls with meaningless titles that apparently make us feel better in the short term. In our desperation to be “the champion” we forget to enjoy the moment and savor life in the little moments

The important is to focus on what really matters: having a great time. Of course, there are some conditions for it, such as never having fun at someone else’s expense, or harming people in our precious moments. It all comes down to being careful in our playful endeavors and youthful adventures, which have no other purpose than to satisfy ourselves and pass the time.