On Pranks & Gags

I share quite a few qualities with both of my grandfathers who knew each other fairly well and I am pretty sure would have called one another "friend".  The trait I am most often told that I inherited from them both is that of their humor; specifically, their ability to say cheesy, ridiculous things and to find opportunity to pull goofy gags and antics--pranks--on others.  These are things that come naturally to me and that I enjoy being a part of.  It is a bonus of sorts to know that I am in some way carrying on the legacy of Elvie and Howard.

Some of the greatest memories I share with some of my closest friends, co-workers, students, are times when we are messing with each other.  Whether it is throwing someone in a lake, having every flat surface of your office covered in Dixie cups half-filled with water, your cell phone's homescreen being changed, decorating someone's vehicle, Oreos filled with toothpaste, mailing unraveled rolls of toilet paper to the Middle East so your friend has to claim--and explain--it at customs, setting off fart bombs, leaving fake poop mess in KFC bathrooms, leaving goofy little notes for others to find later...

There are those who do not pull pranks and do not enjoy having things done to them.  Perhaps they do not like to mix work and play.  They may point out that "this is not the time or place" for such things.  Or maybe they cite safety reasons.  I agree that these are just a few very valid reasons to avoid such goofiness.  But I think the following quotes provide some counter-balance:

"Humor is mankind's greatest blessing."  Mark Twain

"Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun!"  Randy Pausch

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."  Dale Carnegie

Having fun, joking, pranking, creates environment suitable to growth, productivity and success.

While it is important to maintain balance, to respect boundaries and to remain appropriate in the context of your relationships and settings when pranking or joking around with others, I have found that it is during these times of hi-jinks that the strongest relational bonds are formed.  When we laugh together it as though some sort of connection is made that cements the relationship and builds a bridge that we are able to cross over and over again as we continue in relationship together in the future.  Often these experiences together help to solidify that bridge so that even when we are apart for many years we can remain strong together by looking back on these laughable moments.

Having fun, pranking, laughing with (or at) one another, cements relationship.

There is never a guarantee as to how someone will respond to our humor, jokes, gags, or pranks.  Perhaps it's just not a good day to have a gag pulled on them or maybe they were not the intended target.  Maybe it was bad timing or we went too far or we just don't know someone as well as we thought.  Sometimes we just push too far and need to remember that relationships require balance, which means they can't exist solely in goofy mode.

When approaching pranks and jokes from a relational perspective, remember that so long as the gag is not coming out of mean motivations, then likely the person is simply finding a way to have fun.  Remember that they believe in their relationship enough to be willing to build that bridge with you and create some laughs and memories.  They are risking damage to the relationship with the hope of actually making it stronger.  They are trusting that you will enjoy the fun as well, and they are opening up the opportunity for you to reciprocate in your own way, and that you will not respond harshly or angrily, reprimanding or punishing them.

Joking around and pulling gags on one another is a sign of affection and of trust.

I have a piece of artwork that I purchased while on a pilgrimage to the Taize Community in France.  It was made by Brother Eric, one of the Brothers who lives and serves at the Community.  It is a picture of Jesus welcoming children to Himself.  It is based on the passage where people are bringing children to be blessed and prayed for by Jesus (Matthew 19:13-15).  But Jesus's disciples did not want their Master's time and efforts to be spent on mere children so they rebuked and tried to turn the people and their children away.  Jesus would not hear of it.

13-15 One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.” After laying hands on them, he left.

Investing time and energy into the children was a priority to Jesus.  They were of just as much importance to Him as everyone else and their problems.  But He did not stop there.  It was not just about being present for the children, it was about allowing the children themselves to teach us some lessons.  The Kingdom belongs to those who come to Jesus as a child, who enjoy life like a child, those with the faith of a child, those willing to live life recklessly abandoned to childishness.

What are some of your favorite gags or pranks that you have experienced or pulled?