Having Fun
“And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.” 2 Samuel 6:16 KJV
As I sat there listening, I was quite insulted by the advice I was being given. In retrospect, though, it might have been some of the best advice I’ve ever received. Nothing was going right and I was about at the end of my rope. It made no difference what I did, nothing was working out. The more I tried, the more I failed. The more I failed, the more frustrated I got.
Then I received the advice. Obviously this person did not understand, or so I thought. I was told to go out and have some fun. Fun? What do you mean fun? I’ve got too many problems to be able to take a break from them. Besides, are you trying to say I’m not a fun guy?
The newness of our republic was wearing off. The Constitution had been approved for a few years and now the work of becoming a federal government were taking hold. The War of 1812 really tested us. The New England states refused to believe this newly created government had the power to order it to send troops and they didn’t send them. They felt it was more important for them to protect their own shipping and industrial interest than to help save the southern half of this nation. They were also upset with the Louisiana Purchase, believing this new government also overstepped its bounds there, too. Many cried for secession. They met in the Hartford Convention to plot a strategy. The British had already burned the Capital City. They might have also believed that the Madison administration was near collapse. They probably thought they were holding the upper hand.
News reached the Hartford Convention that General Andrew Jackson had defeated the British in New Orleans. Although the war was technically over before this event, it was still stunning news. It was like the lights were shut off and the party was over. And the party was over. The New England people who gathered at the convention were Federalist. They had won the first two Presidential elections and now their party was no more.
King Saul (Israel’s first King) saw a fierce rival in David. David saw no rival in Saul because he was completely loyal to his King. Saul didn’t want to take any chances so he sent David on a mission to which Saul believed David would not return. “Kill me 100 of the enemies’ men and bring me back their private parts,” was the command. “If you do I will give you my daughter to marry,” he continued. David came back with 200. This not only surprised Saul, it made him angry. So David married Michal, Saul’s daughter. Eventually David would have to leave his bride with her father. This was because her father set out to kill David and he had to flee.
As I arrived home, my thoughts returned to the previous conversation. Fun? “I know how to have fun,” I thought. I sat there for a moment and I thought and I thought and I thought some more. An eye opening experience awaited the end of my thinking. Fun? How do you have fun? I really had no idea. I had spent so many years trying to fix things that my ability to think of fun things was gone. Guilt overcame me if I felt the edge of my lips lifting to smile. Laughing was out of the question. Here I was, standing with the golden key to unlock the door of happiness in my hands. I was being given the permission to have fun. I hope no one was looking because I could feel a smile coming on. Now, what did I want to do?
With the War of 1812 behind us, and with the Federalist Party nearly gone, this newly elected President set out on a campaign of national unity. This meant that he had to put a concerted effort to end the partisan divide the nation was experiencing. He went right to the source of the problem: New England. So excited were the people about him that he was the near unanimous (only one electoral vote went to someone else) choice in his re-election campaign in 1820. It became known as the Era of Good Feeling. It would also be the last time three consecutive Presidents would be re-elected in a row until 192 years later (our current streak of Clinton–Bush–Obama).
The Era of Good Feeling is almost synonymous with President James Monroe, the President who ushered it in. The Panic of 1819, the Supreme Court’s McCulloch v. Maryland and the Missouri Crisis brought an end to our brief break from political partisanship. The two party system returned and we haven’t really had too many breaks from the partisan divide since then. But for that one moment we all felt good.
Victories are sweet and none was sweeter to King David than the capture of Jerusalem. It became known as the City of David. It called for a celebration and King David knew how to celebrate. Dancing in the street he was as happy as he could be. His wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter, was completely disgusted with his display. “A king should not behave that way,” she thought. David was none too happy with her attitude either and he let her know it. “It’s okay to have fun and to be happy,” must have been his defense.
For my effort to start having fun, I chose a little trip to West Virginia. I climbed to the top of Seneca Rock and I visited Blackwater Falls. I started a little tradition I carry on to this day. I only ate in places that were not around where I came from. I had a great time. Someone asked me why I went to West Virginia. My response was: “I went there because absolutely no one there knew my name.” A few weeks later I took my son there. I added a few other things I thought he would enjoy. We found that fun is also contagious.
The Era of Good Feeling taught us that our problems were there before it started and they were there when it ended, but it really didn’t hurt anything that we took a little break from them. David taught us that we don’t need to feel guilty when we have fun. There will be plenty of other time for the worrisome stuff. My little trip taught me that attitudes can really change when you take a break from the rough stuff.
Prayer: Father, Life sometimes gets overwhelming. Problems and issues seem to pile on. We see no hope. Thank you for those breaks that give us the opportunity to have fun and get refreshed. Amen.
