Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it

"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive." – Elbert Hubbard

In the great sweep of time, there have always been those who have understood the delicate dance of life—its joys and sorrows, its triumphs and tribulations. Elbert Hubbard, in his wisdom, speaks to the essence of what it means to live with lightness in a world full of burdens. This quote is a reminder that life, in all its beauty and complexity, is fleeting, and that to cling too tightly to its struggles and its seriousness is to miss the richness that it has to offer. For to take life too seriously is to forget that we are mere travelers on a journey that will one day come to an end. Death is the inevitable destination, but how we walk the path toward it is where we have the power to choose.

Consider the ancient stoics, like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, who understood the transient nature of life. They did not advise us to ignore the hardships of existence, but rather to accept them with grace, to embrace the ephemeral nature of our experiences. Marcus Aurelius, in his meditations, spoke often of the fleeting nature of both pleasure and pain, urging his readers to live with equanimity—neither overly attached to joy nor consumed by sorrow. To take life too seriously, he would argue, is to forget the larger picture of our existence, and to allow the small troubles of today to overshadow the wisdom of living a life in accordance with nature and virtue.

This perspective can also be found in the teachings of Buddha, who encouraged his followers to view life with detachment. While it may seem paradoxical, Buddha’s insight was that it is through letting go of our attachment to the serious, to the material, that we achieve peace. Like the river that flows without resistance, we are meant to move through life without clinging to its inevitable end. By acknowledging the impermanence of all things, we can free ourselves from the weight of too much seriousness, and instead, embrace each moment with lightness and a sense of joy.

One need not look far to find examples in history where heroes and leaders embodied this lesson in their actions. King Solomon, the wisest of men, was known for his great insight into the nature of life. His famous words, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity," reveal a man who understood that despite all the wealth, wisdom, and power in the world, there is one truth that cannot be escaped: life is fleeting. He saw that those who took themselves too seriously, who sought to hold tightly to fleeting pleasures and ambitions, were bound to experience frustration. Only those who lived with humility and understanding of life’s impermanence could find true peace.

Hubbard’s words are also a call to the importance of humor in our lives. Those who take life too seriously miss the chance to laugh, to find joy even in the most trying of circumstances. Consider the ancient philosophers, who, while pondering the great mysteries of the universe, never lost sight of the humorous side of human nature. Diogenes, the great cynic, was known for his mocking humor, often pointing out the absurdities of the world. Through laughter, he could expose the follies of those who took themselves and their beliefs too seriously, showing that the act of laughing at life’s absurdities is a form of wisdom.

The lesson, then, is clear: life is not to be approached with an iron grip, expecting to control every twist and turn, but with the understanding that we are travelers, and the journey is meant to be lived fully—joyfully and with lightness. We must take life seriously enough to live with purpose, but not so seriously that we miss the beauty of the small moments, the humor, the laughter, and the relationships that make life rich. For in the end, as Hubbard so wisely reminds us, we will not leave this world alive, and the moments we treasure are the ones where we are not bogged down by the weight of seriousness but uplifted by the freedom that comes with acceptance and laughter.

As we walk this path of life, let us remember that the journey itself is the reward, not the destination. Seek to live lightly, knowing that each day is a gift to be savored, not a burden to be carried. In our pursuit of meaning and success, let us not lose sight of the fact that joy is found not in perfection, but in the imperfection of the human experience. The seriousness of life can weigh us down, but it is the lightness with which we embrace it that will allow us to truly live. Laugh, love, and live fully, for this journey is short, and the moments of joy are the ones that will truly stay with us.