To be honest, I planned to write this article as an April Fool’s joke. Write out some bad advice, and then reveal it as a joke in the end. Unfortunately, (or maybe fortunately) I’ve never been the type to enjoy pranking people. And I definitely don’t enjoy some kinds of being pranked.
April Fools is one of those days that is either your favorite or least favorite day. For a lot of people, it’s a chance to mess with family and friends, and get a good laugh in the process. For everyone else, it’s a day to watch every step you take, and every move the people around you make.
You have to be careful on April Fools Day. You can’t trust that shiny quarter that’s laying like easy pickings on the sidewalk. You can’t use the sink, at all, for any reason. You need to use a mirror to check around corners so that people can’t jump scare you. There are so many precautions that need to be taken before you can walk around confidently. And even then, you should probably keep your head down, and find somewhere quiet to hide out for the rest of the day if you want to make it unscathed.
One of the reasons I feel uncomfortable on April Fools Day is the fact that I have no control over it. I have expressed my dislike of the loss of control before, and this is no different. On April Fools Day, people could spring something on you, unexpectedly and suddenly, and you will have no control over it. On April Fools Day, I walk around, and carefully inspect anything and everything before I use it. I question every pencil laying on the floor, every kind offer by a friend to carry books. After all, you can’t know what is a trick and what is not.
However, maybe that’s the point. To let go a little on April Fools Day, to release the reins of the world and let the day take you where it will. And trust me, I know how hard that can be. I like knowing where I’m going, what I’ll be doing, even what time all of these things will happen. April Fools Day, under those standards, is basically my worst nightmare. A complete lack of control.
While April Fools Day is my worst nightmare, for many people it’s their favorite day of the year. Plenty of chances to play tricks on unsuspecting (well, somewhat unsuspecting) victims. And I often find myself wondering what they love so much about the day. Because while they will have a chance to prank others, the chances are just as great, and maybe even greater, that others will want to prank them.
Perhaps it’s the fact that they enjoy the many ways the day could go. Instead of stressing about when and where they’re going to get pranked, they just let go and enjoy the thrill of not knowing. When they plan a prank, they don’t worry about whether they’ll accidentally upset someone, or what might go wrong, or if it will work, they just go for it.
I think that April Fools Day could be a day that everyone enjoys. Not everyone likes planning pranks, but everyone definitely enjoys a good laugh now and then. And, ultimately, that’s what April Fool’s Day is about. Laughing and having fun.
You will survive April Fools Day. Whether you are the pranker or slightly suspecting prankee, you will get through April Fools Day, and move on to regular old April second in no time. Just remember to laugh on April Fools Day, and don’t be afraid to let go a little, and have some fun. After all, that’s what the day is all about. And remember, if you get pranked by someone this year, there’s always next year to get your revenge. See you next week!
“Reprinted from Hagel Publications, Inc. dba as Courier Newspapers”