Using playfulness to diffuse responsibility

It is vital that in all situations of responsibility or daily obligation, we carry a sense of humour and a lightness in all we handle. Life has many ebbs and flows and it amasses a great deal of repetition and rhythm in all we do. It is paramount that within the restraint of measure, we collectivise laughter in moments of tension and expectation.

Being playful or silly has a power in itself - particularly in the face of seriousness. When we lean into playfulness when confronted with structure, order or strict conformity, we always have the freedom to creative or instil joy.

The choir I sing in, for example, requires a great deal of sight reading, rehearsal and repetition. In this collective sound there is a strong sense of tradition, regulation and discipline. Despite these conditions, the choir master is great at diffusing difficult pieces or incorrect notes with humour. Laughter becomes an essential glue to what would normally be quite a formal ensemble. Instead, choir, still being repetitive and technical, becomes a joy, a place to play and a rock to stand on in hard and good times.

Playfulness is vital to all relationships and eco-systems. It bolsters and lightens the heaviness of life. The duties we all carry daily, demand a connection with what is entirely farcical, comedic and ridiculous. Only with humour can we undermine the weight of things - as difficult moments are filled with colour and order is converted into something richer, wilder and entirely more beautiful.