The Art of Laughing at Everything (as Taught by a 9-Month-Old Guru)

There’s a small, wise little baby in my house. He has no degrees, no certifications, and he certainly doesn’t pay any rent—but damn, is he a master at this whole joy thing.

This 9-month-old sage has a radical philosophy on life: Everything is hilarious. The sound of a hiccup? Comedic gold. Dropping a silicon cup on the floor? Side-splittingly funny. The sheer absurdity of toes existing? Too much to handle.

And let me tell you, this little dude is onto something.

Lesson One: The Universe is Ridiculous

We adults are out here making life way too complicated. Work, meetings, social anxiety —when, in reality, life is just a series of bizarre events. Imagine if we approached existence like a 9-month-old:

• What do you mean I have fingers?

• Wait, I can just kick things whenever I want?

• You’re telling me this big human will pick me up just because I make a noise?

Everything is a miracle and a joke. Both at the same time.

Lesson Two: Joy is a Choice

This tiny teacher has been through some real struggles—teething (a betrayal from his own mouth), falling on his face (a weekly occurrence), and a deeply personal war against his own socks. Yet, after every setback, he looks around and thinks, “Wait, am I dead? No? Cool, let’s giggle at that my dad’s face for 20 minutes.”

We adults get so caught up in the nonsense of problems that we forget the option of joy. The baby doesn’t care that he just failed at standing for the 100th time—he’s just stoked to try again.

Lesson Three: Presence is Everything

Babies don’t multitask. They don’t scroll, check notifications, or mentally rehearse awkward conversations from three years ago. They’re just here. Fully. Their whole Soul is in the moment. And it’s contagious.

Try watching a baby laugh and not feel something shift inside you. You can’t. It’s like being in the gravitational pull of a tiny, giggling sun.

So yeah, I thought I was the dad, but joke’s on me—this 9-month-old is the real teacher. And his lesson plan is simple:

1. Find something absurd.

2. Laugh.

3. Repeat.

Final Thought: The Revolution Will Be Joyful

What if we all stopped taking ourselves so damn seriously and leaned into the ridiculousness of it all? What if we gave up the illusion of control and just laughed at the magic of being alive?

Babies already know. We just forgot.

So today, I’ll take my son’s advice. I’ll laugh at the absurdity. I’ll find joy in the nonsense. And, if all else fails, I’ll stare at my toes and crack up until my stomach hurts.

Because, honestly, that is the meaning of life. 🔥💛