Fun

This is just the craziest thing yet. Last week, one of my stud earrings dropped out somewhere and was lost. I searched the places I could, issued a call to all to be vigilant, and gave up on it. 

Days later, after many a fire in the fireplace and many a sweep-up of the ash, Don called out to me. ‘What’s this?’ It was my stud earring, lying in amongst some ash on the hearth. Hmm. 

I might have put that down to poor housekeeping, concluding I’d just missed it all those other mornings. Except that this is the second lost and found earring story I’ve had in a few weeks.

The other was more remarkable. We’d done a drama at church, involving costumes and head coverings. I didn’t realize until we got home that I was missing a favourite earring of mine. I searched the costumes and head coverings. I returned to church and searched the changing areas. Don went back and looked under the fridge and in other out-of-the-way spaces. No earring.

A couple of days later, when I opened the bedroom curtains, there was the earring. Just sitting there on the window ledge. What? How?

I’m reading a book about Epicurus and the art of growing old. The author makes an observation that we have largely lost the art of fun for the sake of ... nothing but fun. We always need to have a reason for what we are doing, a way of justifying our laughter and joy. He disagrees and asserts that especially in old age, we have more time to just enjoy ourselves without needing to justify it. Just play games without needing to win. Just share a coffee with a friend and laugh without solving the world’s problems or feel guilty that we’ve wasted time. 

I think perhaps God has been having some fun with me with my earrings.