April Fools Day

I was thinking back on April Fools days in my past. My father used to prepare us "Special pancakes" on this particular day. Mind you, he fixed pancakes most mornings for breakfast so that was not unusual....but trying to cut the special ones was always a treat. He would pour the pancake batter on the griddle, then gently place a well cut piece of cotton sheeting on top of the pancake, covering it with more batter. It made a perfectly acceptable pancake but it was impossible to cut and eat. He really had us all going the first time he pulled that prank, but after that the fun part was watching him crack himself up. My father was always the little boy when it came to many things, and his pancake pranks tickled his sense of humor greatly. We all knew what was coming but no one ever gave it away because it was just so darn much fun watching dad try to maintain a straight face as he presented his rigged pancakes to each of us.

I have always admired people that can maintain that sense of innocence into their adult, responsible years. That is what it is all about when it gets down to the bottom line. We are to nurture that child within each of us, that innocence and that wonder, while we go about our lives in a very managed, adult like way. It is the balance that makes it all worth the effort. So am I going to celebrate this day of fools....no, probably not. I am going to take the few empty hours that I am offered and finish a project that is on hold, put the beach that is living in my house back outside where it belongs and then head off to lessons and rehearsals. A good day to be the fool and enjoy life, but no pranks coming from my place in this world.