car·ni·val: a season or festival of merrymaking
Synonyms: festival, fair, celebration, circus, fiesta, gala
It is officially autum, the leaves are turning and the cold rains are starting to fall. This seems like a perfect opportunity to pull together some of my favorite Carnival and Fair photos from the merrymaking of summer.
It is OK to have fun. It should be mandatory!
There is something about a carnival that makes most people smile, try as you might to put your nose in the air and think you are too good for this sort of fun. It is Americana, like apple pie and funnel cakes. It makes it OK to have fun, to be a child again.
I, for one can’t pass a carnival without wanting to stop. If the carnival has a Zipper set up on its midway, I will do my best to convince someone to ride it with me. Once on board, I will laugh until my stomach hurts. It brings back carefree memories of my childhood spent at county fairs and the joyful times I convinced my daughters to ride with me at the local carnival. I smile just looking at the ride now.
I love the lights, the sounds, the wide range of characters but mostly I love watching the rides.
There is something about a carnival that lets us forget our troubles just for a little bit. At the fair it is OK to laugh and scream, in fact it is celebrated!
As the winter months approach, remind yourself to smile. Let yourself feel joyful and celebrate fun. Remember the merrymaking of Summer.
Giving ourselves permission to laugh and smile is something we all need to do more often. Enjoy!