True seriousness is an inner thing. Outwardly I am a child, but inwardly I am far more serious than you. Whereas you are old outwardly, but you are not serious inwardly, because your convictions and ideals are always changing. Do you really think you can convince me that you are serious? No, someone who is always unsure of their divine convictions is not serious.

To elevate and enlighten others is more important than to seek prestige
I am quite capable of putting on airs and assuming an attitude that would make a tremendous impression of seriousness. I could seem to be more serious than anyone, and have enormous prestige in the eyes of the world, but I am not interested in prestige. I have never clung to my prestige, because there are other things that are far more important.

To make other human beings happy, to elevate and enlighten others, these things are more important than to seek prestige. If you have prestige, it is not going to do anyone else any good; you will be the only one to ‘benefit’ from it – if you can call it that, for, in fact, you will not benefit at all. On the contrary, it will simply make you callous, and others will avoid you.

Laugh and be happy, but be faithful to the way of light
So in conclusion, we should always be like children in our hearts, simple, resilient, loving and full of smiles; and like old men in our heads, thoughtful, knowledgeable and learned. To be serious is not a question of not laughing; it is a question of never forsaking your high ideal, your divine philosophy; it is a question of being always faithful and true.

That is what it means to be serious. Laugh, therefore, and be happy, but be faithful to the way of light. In this way, heaven will rank you amongst those who are serious, and even if ignorant human beings think that you are no better than children, you will have the right to say with the greatest initiates, ‘I am stable, son of one who is stable, conceived and engendered in the realm of stability.

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

From a lecture given at Sevres, on April 18, 1970
Complete Works Volume 18, Jnana Yoga Vol 2
Chapter 8, Love