Have You Been Pranked?
It’s April Fools’ Day; have you been pranked yet?
Whether we love pranks or hate them (this often depends on whether we are the pranker or the prankee), by exercising our funny bone we’re celebrating a side of ourselves that we don’t show every day. That’s probably why there’s a whole day dedicated to pranks each year!
We don’t share pranks with just anyone, either. When we plan or receive a good prank, we’re getting vulnerable, demonstrating trust in our relationships and expressing confidence that an element of surprise won’t shake our strong, stable friendship. We’re showing a side of our personality that’s a little devious, and a little silly.
Pranking=Love
Why do we gravitate toward humor and laughter? For one, it brings us closer together. In revealing the side of us that finds these little jokes endlessly amusing, we are opening up to our “victims.” We trust them with this hidden side of ourselves, because we trust that they love us.
Father Moon tells us that love is like a nerve: “If we pull on love, the universe itself is pulled along. As we create motion in love, the entire universe comes into harmony.” He continues, saying that if love were taken away, everything would become stiff and uninteresting (Cheon Seong Gyeong, 381).
Perhaps a more accurate name for April Fools’ Day would be Love Revival Day.
Today, take pranking as an expression of love and an effort to keep things fresh in your relationships! When we decide to prank somebody, we’re thinking of that person. We consider how they will react to something; we tailor our pranks to fit that person’s nature. A lot of thought, energy and care go into crafting the perfect prank. If we create our pranks out of love, the pranked person will get a good laugh out of it, as well as the people watching.
Guidelines for Successful “Intentional Acts of Love”
Of course, we’ve all heard horror stories of pranks gone wrong, so here are some tips to make sure our acts of love are well received!
Prank people you know. It’s more difficult to ensure a successful prank if we don’t know our target very well—we can’t guess their reactions, and it’s more likely for them to misinterpret our motivation.
Crunch the numbers, run through scenarios. Make sure there’s no risk of someone being emotionally or physically hurt, and double-check for any electronics that might get ruined in the crossfire, especially if the prank involves water and other messy substances.
Be believable. The best pranks, like the best lies, are based in truth and normalcy. Keep this in mind while making plans.
Spread the love. As we saw in the video above, pranking is usually more fun with an audience. An audience makes our effort feel more worthwhile, and the more people are involved, the more love is shared!
Don’t be the boy who cried wolf. Make sure you’re keeping people on their toes. Don’t prank so often that people come to expect it from you. The best prankster is the one who is trustworthy, usually.
If you’re the victim of a prank this year, remember to smile and appreciate the fact that somebody thought of you. And maybe plan a prank of your own in loving retaliation!