Not only do we have a whole bunch of holidays here in the United States, we have a heck of lot of Public Awareness going on.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  When it comes to Public Awareness Days, and liking all of them…. I am Switzerland.   Seriously, I think it is ALL good.   Public Awareness is important …. as most of these are focused on public health, and personal betterment.

But dang!  There are a lot of them.  Sometimes we have “days, weeks, or months” which are devoted to a cause.  Breast Cancer Awareness Month is probably the most widely recognized.  Everybody wearing pink “this or that”…. from football players to street sweepers.

Consider this.  JUST during the month of November… we have COPD Awareness Month,  Dercum’s Disease (Adiposis Dolorosa) Awareness Month
Good Nutrition Month, National Epilepsy Month, National Diabetes Awareness Month, National Red Ribbon Month (anti-drunk-driving), Vegan Awareness Month, National Hospice Month, National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and of course…National Prematurity Awareness Month. The list gets even longer with the “day and week” observances.

I mean… World Vegan Day came and went on November 1, without my noticing.

Even so… all of it garners interest, and support.  Like a  snowball.   Which is good…..  in some cases.
Our culture seems to operate that way.  I mean… the best way to draw a crowd is with a crowd.  Or have you ever tried this?  Standing on a busy sidewalk and looking up?  For a lengthy period of time.   Many people will most certainly begin craning their necks upward… simply to get a look.  We are a culture of followers.

It reminds me of the scene from Dead Poet’s Society.  Robin Williams asks his students to take a walk around & about a courtyard.  Quickly, they fall into a well-oiled circle, marching and clapping in unison.  And that was his point.  We have become conformers and followers.

So.  Here is my bright idea.

I think we need an National Loopiness Week.  (I won’t even ask for a month at this point.)  That’s right.  Loopy.  An entire week devoted to being your SILLY self.  Letting your funny side out of its cage.  Doing something out of the ordinary.  Putting the filter down for just one moment, and letting the goofiness flow.

Stand on a table.  Sing out loud in the middle of the grocery store.  Act like you are speaking in a foreign language.  Draw on the sidewalk with some chalk.  Slide down a banister.   In the great words of Donald O’Conner in Singing in the Rain…. “Make ’em laugh.”

Yep.  I think the world would be a better place if we all lightened up just a notch.   Hug somebody… just for the heck of it.  And then pull their nose…. and say… “Hey.  Got your nose!”  Laugh a little more.  Sing a little louder.  Celebrate.
Celebrate National Loopiness Week.  Start today.  Your life depends on it.

“Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
‘Cause there’s a million things to be
You know that there are” — Cat Stevens