Entry #6- Workplace Giggles

 

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We all need a laugh now and again, and work can be a uncommon place of continuous laughter. As many view work as a place of solitude and discouragement, the people within that place of employment can make showing up everyday that much more bearable. As many places of employment vary with their professionalism, this does not stop coworkers from creating fond memories with each other. 

It is a refreshing reminder to smile and take the time to enjoy the company of others. To enjoy work for a moment is a blissful relief from the standard dread that comes with working. As we all may like to make our employers believe we are content and happy to show up to work everyday, most are not excited of working a 40+ hour work week. A bit of laugher between coworkers makes that facade a possible reality.

One of my favorite memories leaves everyone giggling to this day even after months following the event, and many more memories made. A coworker of mine was trying to get ice from our commercial ice making machine. This machine has a tendency to overfill and cause pounds of ice to fall to the floor. We tried to use a steel spatula to move the ice down, but as we jabbed into the ice block we felt a sudden shift. This was frightening, so we devised a plan. My coworker would close the door directly after I had stabbed the ice down from the top of the machine. This was to ensure that the multitude of ice would not fall onto the floor and create a block in the walkway. So I began to stab at the ice block and two jabs into my attempt the ice fell. Now I had completed my part, all that was left was for my coworker was to complete hers. However, she did not. She panicked as the ice continued to poor out onto the floor. I and many other workers could see the chaos that was about to ensue, but they did not know the outcome could result in what it had. Before we knew it our manager was running over to close the door. Despite my attempts to continuously tell my coworker to close the door the manager raised her leg to close the door as the ice on the floor had limited her reach. When she lifted her leg the inertia took her up and straight back down to the floor. Only she had not landed on her feet, she had landed on her back. Now this may seem like a cruel story. She had some bruises for many weeks after, but everyone including her burst into laugher. Some of the bruises even looked like sharks which are ironically her favorite animal. After sometime she got up and we all went about our shifts. We cleaned the mess and continued as before.

What was marvelous was that the entire building had taken a second away from what they were doing to laugh. To stop. To breathe. To live in the moment. To just ... be. It was truly amazing. And words do not compare to the impact that such a seaming less act had on everyone. 

It is true that many may not like their jobs. It is true that many people wish that they were rich enough to not have to work at all. All anyone in this world does is work and work so that one day in the distant future they do not have to anymore. To provide, to learn, to help, to grow among many others. That is why we work. But when do we take the time to laugh, to breathe, to live? 

A simple moment between coworkers can inspire others, and keep them coming back. It can inspire that one moment of laughter, a breath of fresh air, and the ability to live with a little more joy than before.

So take a moment, and laugh...

Until next time...