Hey, Never Lose Your Boy!

Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.” – Walt Disney

“Hey, Never Lose your boy!” These words were spoken by Jim Carrey at the end of his Saturday Night Live hosting performance on January 8, 2011, though this statement is seemingly innocuous, these words resonated with me and have stayed with me throughout the years. I always watch the ending of the SNL because I imagine what they are thinking about, how the show went, what they will do after, what new things they want to try for the next show, etc.… The saxophone wails in the background, the applause of the audience echoes in the studios of 30 Rock, cast, crew, and guests hug and wave goodbye to the audience…. I have always loved this uneventful part of the show… But I digress.  Though I am sure you know of Jim Carrey’s work and the many films he has done, you know he doesn’t take himself too seriously and he will go the extra mile to get a laugh. You may or not be a fan, but to appreciate the value of his statement, “Never lose your boy!” (Or girl, of course) you don’t have to be a fan.

The very instant he said it, I felt I knew what it meant. I felt it meant to never lose your wonder of the simple things that make life fun. Childlike wonderment of blue skies, giant kites with dragon tails, ice cream, and riding your bike so fast that you felt sure you would take flight at any moment! For those that of a certain age that may be considered…more seasoned (Yes, I like seasoned instead of OLD…) It means the excitement of being a kid and waking up at the butt crack of dawn on Saturday to watch your favorite cartoons (There were like, 3 total channels on TV at this time and they all showed cartoons from 6:00AM to about 11:30AM) and eating a bowl of cereal out of a mixing bowl using a spoon the size of a ladle! (Oh wait, was I the only one eating a giant bowl of cereal at age 5?) Cartoons Like Grape Ape, Speed Buggy, Groovy Goolies, Super Friends, (Yes, Friends, how many of us have them?) and everyone’s favorite homicidal feline and protagonist mouse, Tom and Jerry, to name a few. 

I felt Jim Carrey’s words to mean no matter the age of the body that carries you, your soul can stay young, enthusiastic, and exuberant. That you should feel free to laugh at farts and fart jokes, giggle at the word, poop, and laugh out loud when someone sneezes and a giant booger flies out of their nose and hits the wall!

The world is a serious place, but our lives may not always have to be. Simple pleasures, simple laughter, simple musings. To me, the phrase, “never lose your boy” meant the world will always take itself seriously, events that happen around the globe are serious, time, events, and hardships will demand you to be serious…but there are also many times when just being the unserious boy and girl of our youth is all we need to do, on occasion. It is important to allow ourselves permission to have fun, be free, and laugh at the silly things in life. So, I say, as Jim Carrey said all those years ago, “Never lose your boy!” The body will grow, the mind gains knowledge, but allow the spirit the freedom to have fun and be filled with childlike wonder and amusement.