Deal with a Full Deck

Every April Fools Day I love to celebrate folly. 24 years ago, on April Fool’s Day, I visited my Congresswoman, Connie Morella, dressed up in a court jester costume. As Ray Cycle, a recycling action here I created, I stood on the Capitol steps at high noon and proclaimed, "You’re not dealing with a full deck when you throw out the joker out! Recycle Our Nation’s Capital."

I see the difference between a comedy and a tragedy as subtle, but significant-- we can learn from comedy rather than perpetuating a tragic fate. This is why I take refuge in our wasteful ways.


A sense of humor is essential. A process of purification is needed from our depressed, angry, anxious state of existence allowing laughter to clean. Also humor is about that nothing is what it appears. What is funny is that we are caught by our own projections, misinterpretations and desires. Such illusion, delusions and other tricks can either awaken or deceive us. When we see that we live in a house of mirrors and that both laughing and crying are the same release then we can laugh with joy in what is revealed.


Yes we are foolish beings. By appreciation this trickery then we begin to truly see. Oh the divine is so tough to find since laughter truly is primordial secret source of truth. In searching for some sense out of nonsense there is possibility to change our character is the fool!

The wild card is the highest card in the deck and is thrown out many times in the game. However, this discard is priceless, since laughter, love and merriment is it’s symbol is wildly free of the deck’s hierarchy. The fool is a shamanic force representing the non ordinary or the world of the psyche. Wisely mad this jester walks on the razor edge between sublime and the ridiculous. Fumbling on the high wire of reality and fantasy, The changer, the trickster, the transformer, this motley being is both sad, merry and may quite mad playing out a ludic role. Yes this ludicrous individual sheds light on both on bondage and our path to freedom.

From folly a kind of wisdom can be born from the fool and his/hers mischief. Out of our trials and tribulations some cleverness can arise from the perverse form of a clown. From laughter insight comes from this spontaneity with some form of sublime message. Shakespeare said that jesters do often prove prophets. He also said, “I had rather a fool make me merry than experience to make me sad.”

Observing a clown you are exposed to a full weather system of emotions. Much comes from simple human events without a sense of rawness embarrassing, tragic or uneasy moments. Even out of sorrow humor acts to balance grief.


You see, Ray Cycle's message is being "insightful and mindful". Today we can celebrate the fact that more people recycle then vote. However, we still need to manage the billions of tons of valuable resources that we waste every year. We deserve to conserve. Let’s have fun but not become foolish. To disregard and discard is folly. Demonstrating reverence for our land results in many happy returns. Let’s honor the process and not bury our problems. In recovery there is discovery—by giving back you feel more connected. I use poor humor to awaken such as "toot your frugal bugle with the gift of thrift, Recycle Our Nations’ Capital."

Recognizing that in face of laughing and crying are the same release. We can become free from the tragic only when we awake from the comic. It’s time we learn and laugh from a comedy, not a tragedy, of our errors. Just like Earth Day, everyday is April Fools Day if we can awaken to our human nature.