Jay Kay: Just Kidding, or Just What I Needed?
I was walking along the marina one afternoon, my mind in overdrive. It had been one of those days—the kind where your brain feels like a browser with 37 tabs open, 4 frozen, and one playing music you can’t find. Deadlines loomed, emotions simmered just beneath the surface, and my thoughts were tangled like fishing line.
And then I saw it.
A small boat, gently rocking in the water.
Painted in bold letters on the side: Jay Kay.
I stopped.
At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary name—maybe someone’s initials. But then I said it out loud: “Jay Kay.” And instantly, my brain translated: JK.
Just kidding.
Was this boat a floating dad joke? A clever wink to passersby? A message from the universe?
Suddenly, I was smiling. Actually smiling. Not the kind you paste on to be polite—but a real one. My busy, anxious mind came to a quiet halt.
And then it started to wander—but in a good way this time. What else could JK stand for?
Just Keepin’ On – because some days that’s all we can do
Joyful Kaleidoscope – a reminder that everything shifts
Juggling Kids – oof. Been there.
Jam and Karaoke – maybe this boat knows how to party
Just Kindness – simple, rare, and powerful
Joking Keeps-sane – there it is. My favorite.
That little boat, parked in the middle of my overthinking, gave me something I didn’t even know I needed: permission to laugh. Permission to pause. To be present. To interrupt the relentless loop of pressure and perfection with a moment of levity.
Sometimes we try to bulldoze our way through stress with productivity or power. But other times, what we need is a lighthearted interruption—a nudge that says:
“Hey… this is hard. But you’re allowed to smile in the middle of it.”
That’s not denial. That’s survival with soul.
So now, every time I feel myself spinning out, I think of Jay Kay. I imagine the owner of that boat shrugging off a rough day with a grin, saying, “I’m selling it all and living on the water... JK.”
Except maybe they weren’t kidding.
Maybe they knew something we forget too often:
Life is heavy sometimes. But we don’t have to carry it alone. And we don’t have to carry it seriously all the time.
Humor doesn’t mean we’re ignoring the hard stuff.
It just means we’re human. And it helps us stay afloat.
Next time you're in a loop of stress, try this:
Look around for something that makes you smile.
Say something silly—even if just to yourself.
Rename your situation with absurdity. (I once called my inbox “the Bermuda Triangle of unmet expectations.” It helped.)
You are allowed to laugh.
Even in the middle of it all.
And when in doubt?
Just whisper: Jay Kay.
