Too Serious?

Over the years, I've been told that I take things too seriously...take myself too seriously...

Can someone tell me what that really means?  "Take yourself too seriously..."

Yes, I can admit that I am a pretty serious person, overall.  Life is serious.  The world is serious.  There are so many issues and people in pain.  It's serious.

But I'm also a person who LOVES to have fun!  I've come a long way over the years.

I used to marvel at the way my brother played with my toddler cousins, and how my aunt played with them (her children), complete with sound effects.  That was in my teenage years, and I admit, I needed to lighten up.  After all, they were kids.

Years later, a friend took me to a playground, invited me to the swings and the seesaw, and years later, invited me for a walk, took my hand & asked me to skip.  I was at least in my late 20s.  It felt good!  And thereafter, I found myself prone to skipping in large open areas - especially the big city post office at night (I had a post office box).

Over the years, I think I've progressed in the "fun" department very well.  Children enjoy my company and the way I meet them where they are with imagination games.  Pretend stuff.  Like jumping on the bed to pretend it's a raft in an alligator-infested swamp as we search for the "secret idol" - a ceramic fish  piggy bank hidden in a dresser drawer.  I'm FUN!

These days, I'm the only woman I know who will jump into 3 inches of water in a baby pool, hollering," WOOOHOOOO!!!" just because my dog LOVES rowdy, vocal play.  (And this is in the front yard, along a main street, where plenty of people might actually see me.)

I'm still serious about the state of the world, the work I do, and the condition of people.  But I really do find that I can have fun almost anywhere - I pride myself in being able to make the best of almost any situation.

So, can someone tell me what does it means to take yourself too seriously?