The P ublisher Po stulates
34 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2017
Publisher / Editor
Fun
By Aaron R. Fodiman
Like the saying, ”You can’t be too rich or too thin,”
I believe you also can’t have too much fun.
GRAM
Fun is a small three-lettered word,
but it is amazing how many
different meanings it can have to
each of us. Some people have fun
playing sports, or even exercising, while
for others, the thought of either would not
be described as fun.
Traditionally, fun has generally referred
to anything that brings joy and happiness
to an individual. Using this definition, it is
easy to understand why almost everyone
likes to have some fun in their lives. While
there are those who seek fun in all they
think and do, there are others who believe
fun is a self-indulgency that should be
limited and sublimated to more worthy
and serious pursuits. If you believe the
latter, you will probably find my ideas
about fun to be wrong and selfish.
I personally seek fun in everything I do.
I like fun foods, fun drinks, fun games, fun
times and fun thoughts. I want to spend
my entire life having fun, laughing and
enjoying every moment, and I want to
bring fun to those around me, too. Don’t try
to get me into serious political discussions,
as I find them depressing and useless. Tell
me jokes, and I’ll listen for hours. Make
me laugh or smile, and I’ll be entranced
with you.
While I don’t object to anyone feeling
that they are responsible for solving
others’ problems, I just don’t choose to
spend my life in serious endeavors. I want
to play, to remain immature and to look
at the bright shiny side of life, where an
ice cream sundae or a chocolate bar can
cure anything. Give me the most intense
situation and I’ll find a way to make light
of it with some form of humor. I know
this does not make me a good person
and demonstrates my lack of emotional
values and I am sorry for that, but I am
happy being me, no matter how shallow
that may be.
I look for happiness and fun in my life,
moment by moment, day by day. I have
fun from the moment I open my eyes
in the morning until I close them in the
evening. But my fun doesn’t come without
effort. I work at having fun every second.
Of course, on occasion, I can’t avoid the
realities of life. However, I refuse to
dwell on them, and I avoid anything that
I find depressing. Show me something
unpleasant, and I’ll find a way to view it
with gaiety or to ignore it. This is not easy
to do, but I think it is worth the effort if it
keeps me happy.
So next time fate causes you to pause
with trepidation, put on your rose-colored
glasses and try to find a way to make light
of it. It won’t make your problems go away,
but it will give you a chance to have some
fun while solving them. 9