Do Something Ridiculous
And Bring Others Along for the Ride
Saturday night was awesome. Five friends came over to my house and threw whatever would float into my roommate’s old truck. The supply list included:
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A section of fence
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A kayak
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An exercise ball
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Two five gallon jugs
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One five gallon cooler
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A kickboard
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A floatie lounge
(We also brought lots of rope and a knife to cut it).
We threw on swimsuits, filled a buoyant trashcan with beer, soda, and ice, and drove down to a dock near a forgotten island on Austin’s Lady Bird Lake. From there we proceeded to construct a raft. We argued a little bit about the design, but in the end we constructed a craft that looked solid. The ropes were tight, and it held together in the water. We all thought it might actually carry the six of us to the promised (is)land.
Nope. The construction was an abysmal failure.
After the third person clambered on the makeshift raft, the kayak was the first to sink. Who would have guessed? Eventually, every single piece was submerged except the exercise ball. And every person was soaking wet. After a good bout of laughter we all grabbed something that would float and swam to our destination, where we conversed by the supernatural light of an almost full moon.
Like I said, the night was awesome. Our so-called “goal” of building a raft was a failure, and I’m scratching poison ivy on my shin as I type, but the evening was a blast. Our true goals—to connect with each other in a different way than we might in a normal setting, to interact with nature, and to use our minds and collaborate creatively—were more than satiated.
I think one key to is happiness to open to doing something ridiculous, and bringing your friends along for the ride, sometimes literally. Who cares if it doesn’t work? The process will still be fun and meaningful. Who cares if it’s unusual? That’s what makes it memorable.
We’ll always have the chance to go to another house party or a bar, to get a case of beer or watch a movie. Those things are nice too—if we had to build a raft every weekend I’m sure it would get pretty old. I find joy in the absurd, and I find that a life taken too seriously is a less enjoyable life to live.
Image: Indigo Island via instagram