'Mysteries of the Universe'

“The fool doth think himself wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." —As You Like It, William Shakespeare

“I have this thing that I do called 'Mysteries of the Universe,' when I gaze up at the countless stars and infinite galaxies. I realize how small and insignificant my girlfriend is. So, I get drunk and cheat on her with my 18-year-old neighbor." —Jon Lajoie, Comedian

“Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods.” —Japanese Proverb

Life is short. But the present is timeless. And timelessness is eternal. Therefore, live your life in the present, and you will enjoy the fruits of an eternal life.

Now, there are two ways you can go about doing this. One route is the serious path, the path of austerities and spiritual righteousness. Become a hermit, a Zen monk, or a cloistered nun. The other path, is the path of laughter. There is nothing else in this world that is quite as timeless and worry-cleansing as a good hearty laugh.

Some people are born comedians. Making people laugh is a talent that comes naturally for them. On the one hand I envy such lucky people, but on the other, I’m simply glad that they’re around.

I happen to be (whether through nature or nurture) a more quiet, contemplative individual. Of the two “paths” I described above, the more solemn and earnest approach would probably come more naturally to my personality. I realize there’s nothing wrong with this, of course. The world needs serious and compassionate people just as much as it needs the people who can make us laugh.

Sometimes, however, I think we can get too wrapped up in our own innate tendencies. While the world does have problems that need people to take action upon, too much seriousness can stress a person out and maybe even get them down. The reverse is probably true for too much humor—laugh too much and you become cynical, and the world becomes a cruel and meaningless place.

I think its good, no matter which side of the spectrum you fall upon, to remember to balance yourself out from time to time. If you’re like me, and you take on too much of the seriousness of the world’s problems, then take a break and pop in a good comic movie, or go see a show with a stand up comedian. Take the time to laugh at the world. Take the time to laugh at your self as well. After all, even the revered and wise Dalai Lama still has to go poop. The Pope does too! As you let that image settle into your head, allow me to leave off by reminding you that all of us are just plain fools at times, and it is probably when we are at our most serious that we are probably missing out on just how ridiculous we actually look. In my opinion, the meaning of life has a lot in common with a funny joke—if you have to have it explained to you then you’re really just missing the point.

“Cleanliness becomes more important when godliness is unlikely.” —P. J. O'Rourke

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city." —George Burns

“I wanna live. I don’t wanna die. That’s the whole meaning of life: Not dying! I figured that shit out by myself in the third grade.” —George Carlin