It's Okay to Have Fun

I have a good life. And I appreciate it. But there are some days when the reported news is so overwhelmingly bad that I feel guilty. I wonder how can I enjoy the frivoulous things in life like dinner with friends or an overpriced coffee? But if we didn't find little things to bring us joy, then there would be no point. So I wondered, what about people who face really difficult lives everyday? And then I heard this report on NPR.

It's a story about adventure capitalists. These are people who see hope and opportunity in Iraq--post-war Iraq. Their mostly Americans. Many either served in the U.S. Military or worked the war effort in some way. They see opportunity and they're buying land for future amusement parks, skateboard parks and the like. Some people have called this appalling. Honestly I don't get that view. People need amusement. We need things that distract us from the grim realities and give us something else to focus on. But more than anything we need hope. These entrepreneurs are builders of hope. Read more about Iraq amusement parks at New York Times online.

But what about current Iraq? People still live there. They get up every morning and then what? Here is a terrific video by an Iraqi . How to Have Fun in Baghdad gives us a glimpse beyond the car bombings and body counts. Sorry I can't embed the video (embedding disabled) and I'll warn you, it's long (over 11 min.) but its so worth watching.

Life has always been tough. I read just last night that in the past 3,200 years only 230 were peaceful. It's not a dismal statement, but one of hope that in the midst of it all we can still have amusement parks.

So let's all go have a fun filled weekend!