April Fools' Day

My days of whoopee cushions, pulling fingers, and “gotcha jokes” are long behind me. In fact, I’m pretty sure I haven’t “celebrated April Fools' Day since elementary school. Nevertheless, I woke up this morning thinking about how often my brain plays tricks on me, and how often I fall for them.

For me anyway, one of the most incomprehensible things about the human brain is its capacity to deceive itself. I’m embarrassed to admit how often I believe the same lies:

It’ll be easier tomorrow. I’ll do it then.

It’ll be different this time.

It’s no big deal (when it is).

It’s a huge freaking deal (when it isn’t).

Oh, silly brain. And silly me, for being so susceptible. But, also, it would be great if, the next time I deceive myself, immediately after falling for my own deception, I could shout “Gotcha! April Fools'!” then proceed to tell myself the truth, and laugh about it?

I want to do that. I want to have a sense of humor about my own gullibility, and an internal override that will enable me to call myself out after I’ve tricked myself into believing yet another lie.

Who knows? Maybe, I will. Or, maybe, I’m just fooling myself.

Maybe, it’d be easier to simply buy a whoopee cushion.

Happy April Fools' Day!