My, What I Call, Life Lessons Learned from Miranda

I love comedy.

It’s such a delicate art in the form of funny faces. Behind the silly conversations and laughter, subtle life lessons are hidden. That’s why I love it. My heroes all know how to use and respect humor: Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman, Julia Child, and especially those in the comedy industry: Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, and Miranda Hart. They’ve always been there for me through good times and bad with their smart conversations and their ability to make me laugh.

Miranda is a show created by Miranda Hart, an English comedienne, as a semi-biographical sitcom. Ever since I watched the first episode, I became a massive fan. There’s just something special about Miranda. She’s pure, inexperienced, clumsy, awkward, and frank. She’s an underdog who we all can relate to. The show ended after five years of running. It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and I watch a lot of comedy!

Lesson 1: Know how to entertain yourself

Miranda doesn’t have a lot of friends. She’s not good at dating either. She’s awkward and unique. But she doesn’t let it affect her in negative ways. Instead, she makes fruit friends, jumps on the bed, plays human velcro ball catcher, sings and dances. She’s the perfect example of how you have to know how to make yourself feel better, no matter what.

Miranda in a ball pool, because she can.

Throughout my life I’ve encountered lots of grown-ups who have had no idea how to use their free time. It’s fine when they are in their normal routine: going to work, coming home, cooking, watching TV, and sleeping, but the problem comes when there’s a sudden change. When they’re given a window of free time, they are lost. It happens a lot in Korea, where everyone’s used to having a tightly packed routine. I’ve been asked questions like, “What should my hobby be?”

Try to understand who you are, and don’t waste your valuable free time. Entertain yourself in those precious moments. Sing, dance, watch movies, have a TV show marathon, cook, hike, anything.

Lesson 2: Life is (or can be) a Musical

What Miranda taught us over the last five years is to sing and dance as much as you can!

Lesson 3: Have a Friend who can share the silliness

Miranda and Stevie are best friends and business partners. But there’s something special about their relationship. While Stevie is more of a high-achiever, she’s a constant support to Miranda and they enjoy their games and competitions. They play games like Where is Miranda and Pepperoni Jenga, host sherry and cake night, and often get into odd competitions.

It’s important to have someone to share the silliness. Someone who doesn’t judge or criticize. They are usually the one who sticks around in the hard times. Just like Stevie and Miranda.

Lesson 4: Don’t take yourself too seriously

“I’ve tried to be a grownup. But I have no interest in living by the adult rule book. I want to do fun things that make me happy, which by the way, for the record, include making vegeta-pals. Meet Mr. Butternut. You might call me a child. Good. If adults had even a slightest in the moment joy of a child then frankly the world would be a better place.”

She sums it up pretty well. While growing up, we are taught to be more grown-up, serious, and dignified. We often make the false connection between behaviors or appearance and intelligence. But we don’t need to take ourselves too seriously. The show Miranda and her successful comedy career never would have taken off if she were defensive of her own life. The show is exaggerating things that didn’t go well in her real life. See? It’s okay to goof around. It’s okay to laugh at funny words, sing out loud, and gallop instead of run. Why not? It doesn’t mean that you’re not mature. That attitude comes from an individual’s insecurity. We are taught to ‘act’ dignified because that’s how people judge each other. If you are truly a mature and dignified person, you shouldn’t be afraid of what other people think of your jolliness.

Miranda knows how to celebrate Christmas

Lesson 5: Love is important, but it’s not everything

“Since I split up with Gary, I’ve truly sorted out who I really am.”

Miranda announced that after her final break-up with Gary, the one who she’d been in love with for the last fifteen years. Their paths crossed many times, but it seemed like it was too difficult. But at the end of the series, Miranda gave us a great ending: their wedding.

They had numerous bumps on the way, but finally found each other. It’s a great romance that everyone had hoped to see, but it was more meaningful because it happened after Miranda got to know herself more and found out that she could be independent without love, or Gary. Finding love is important, maybe the most important thing in one’s life, but it is certainly not everything. Love can only happen when individuals are independent, and content in their own lives.