“It will be a fun day if we let it.” These were the words of wisdom I overheard a young mom share with her two toddlers during our recent trip to Disney World.
On one level it might seem as if having fun at Disney didn’t require a pep talk. On the other, as evidenced by the number of meltdowns you see throughout the day, it is clearly not automatic.
What struck me about the Mom’s admonition was how consistent it was with most people who were not only visiting the park but working there. Everyone seemed to be doing their absolute best to create a good time for themselves and for others. Did they always succeed? Of course not. Hot days, long waits and tired children make for a nasty cocktail of emotions. Yet the effort was still there. It can be seen in the desire to remove as much friction as possible. To say yes, was the default response to any request.
In the wonderful world of Disney, perhaps the most wonderful thing of all is watching people just trying to be their best. People are just friendier and supportive of each other.
We suspend the overt commercialism and exorbitant costs, the stresses that await us when we get home, and just try to have fun. To be happy. To steal a few wonderful memories that could last a lifetime separated from the chaos that abounds all around us People in the words of one famous Disney princess are just trying to “let it go.”
Of course, we don’t need to escape to Disney to let go of more things. We don’t need rollercoasters to have fun. We can do our best to enjoy the rides of everyday life – if we let it.
This metaphor is reminiscent of the movie Parenthood, where a family is struggling to let go of the daily stressors and enjoy the good, bad and scary moments of their lives. In this moving scene, the grandmother reminds her adult grandson of this. Planting the seed for this climatic moment where we see amidst the chaos of a play gone wrong he stops worrying about his child and instead embraces the hilarity of the ride.
It was a fun experience, because he let it.
May you let yourself have more fun this week.
This Week’s Recommendation: Shortly after you read this, I’ll be hosting our second annual Social Mobility Lab Summit at City College of New York. It will be livestreamed if you want to pop in any time from 11:00AM-2:30, Monday April 13th.. If you register, you will get the livestream link and also a recording if you can’t make it during this window. Hope you can check some of it out.
Share this email with someone who could use a little fun this week.