Irish playwright Oscar Wilde once said, “Life is too important to be taken seriously.” What was it that this artist, well known for his epigrams and various written works, was trying to express? Although there is no way to be entirely certain, as his sayings are somewhat abstract, this not-so-complex epigram can be applied appropriately to any given situation.

When I say that this quote is significant, and that everyone should consider Wilde’s words during his or her daily routine, I’m not appealing to the Villanova community to live life sloppily, carelessly or even irresponsibly.

Rather, I feel it is important in this day and time to emphasize that as a whole, maybe we do take life a little too seriously, maybe it’s time to relax and “smell the roses” for a bit.

We have troops over in the Middle East fighting right now so that we can stay here. They are ready and willing to give their lives to preserve the American lifestyle, the opportunity to wake up and do anything we want. So here we are stationary, living life regularly and making everyday decisions as though nothing is different. Except for the occasion murmur of “Oh, that’s terrible,” or something to that extent while watching TV, most people are virtually unaffected by the war activities.

I want everyone to consider an average day of his or her life. I think most people will find that they are in a routine, maybe even a rut – monotonous, mundane, and a predictable schedule where we run around to our meetings for multiple campus organizations, to work, to our internships, on interviews, to class, to lectures, etc. Everyone has to be somewhere at a certain time and later researching, finishing homework, reading, doing household chores, etc.

Now, imagine that task-packed day if you did one extraordinary thing to change it. I’m not calling on a community-wide ignorance to what needs to be done in a day; rather, I would plead with everyone to prioritize. At times, it’s not always a bad thing to put off a task. If it means that you have a chance to enjoy basking in the spring sun and talking with friends, I think it is a worthwhile procrastination. Likewise, if we have people fighting for safety in this country, and security working around the clock to ensure that we will see no wrongdoings bestowed upon us, I think it is wrong and disrespectful of us not to take advantage of these liberties. If we have the opportunity to enjoy the night’s fresh air because of them, and enjoy an ice-cream cone with friends or family, is it not worth the lost sleep to stay up a few hours later than usual to finish a term paper on a Sunday night?

Of course there are important matters to address, and no one can dispute their presence. Issues such as attending class regularly, working occasionally, etc. must all be attended. My interpretation of Wilde’s epigram is to not take these items to the extreme and let them overcome your life, as it is all too easy in these times. We live in a terribly competitive world, for all its good and bad counterparts, and generally people can be so goal-oriented that they lose sight of what they originally sought. Essentially, are you truly happy? Consider this especially with regard to your daily life, your workload, and compare it to your leisure the amount of time you laugh in a day, and the time spent with friends and family.

“Life is too important to be taken seriously,” means we need to find enjoyment in everyday matters. The superfluous attempts to complete numerous tasks throughout the day are far less important or significant than accomplishing a respectable workload and adding a sizeable amount of enjoyment to a day.

If everyone put on reserve several minutes, but preferably a couple of hours of leisure time, per day, than everything this country is fighting for will not be in vain, and as a community we may find more worth (and humor) in our lives.

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