April's Fools!

Who doesn't have one or two memories full of chagrin when you fell for an April Fools joke? I know I have, and I will probably continue to do so. My brother, Nolan, has commented several times, that I am so gullible...I'll believe any he says. My response? Simply, if I can't trust him...who can I trust?

So, what is gullibility? Gullible is defined as being easily deceived, or cheated or duped. The etiology of gullibility is unclear at best, but thought to be derived from the Latin gula, or throat, implying swallow. That is, the gullible person will swallow anything they are told. Overall, this is not a characteristic that should be cultivated, as I see it. It seems in direct contradiction with Biblical instruction to be "...as wise as serpents..." (Matthew 10:16)

Why is it that our culture celebrates a day of foolishness and gullibility? Again, the origin in unclear, but it is thought to be connected with the change in the calendar, changing the New Year's Day to January 1, officially. France was one of the first country to make this change official in 1564. Previously, the celebrated New Year often occurred during the time of the vernal equinox, late March/early April. Those who did not change their celebration to the 1st of January were often sent silly gifts or invited to nonexist parties, at the first of April, for the assument of those sending the gifts or making the invitations. This day of pranks seemed to sprout up through out Europe and Britian, and eventually coming to America's shores.

Generally, as I think most who know me would attest, I am not gullible. Even my brothers know my cynical nature, and questioning mind. (Nathan's broken leg, you say? No, I totally believe him! Right?!? ) So, why do I repeatedly fall for the silly antics that my brothers (my daddy, and my hunny) pull? Simply put, I trust them. So what is trust? It is a confidence in, reliance upon, unconditional belief in and dependence on someone or something. Again, if I can't trust these men closest to my heart, who can I trust? Yes, I know that all of the above mentioned men are teases, and love to tease me specifically...I keep telling myself that it is a sign of love, surely! :D

So, as the years past, I'm sure that I will continue to fall for the jokes and every little thing that they say, because I do trust them...and I wouldn't have it any other way.