Painting by Belynda Wilson Thomas
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22
Laughter is the best medicine haven’t we all been taught that and yet do we laugh enough? Do we see the humor in the situation? Sometimes I think we are in a bit of a mirthless time as people who see the funny in situations that aren’t really funny are called out as not being politically correct enough.
But, isn’t empathy and seeing the humor from the victim’s point of view two ways of looking at the same thing? When we choose to laugh instead of cry over whatever has happened isn’t that better? Gallows humor might not be politically correct, but when we can’t laugh about horrendous situations they will bring us further down than if we can find the humor in what really isn’t a laughing matter, but laughter may be the best way to get through it.
Don’t we love to spend time with people who make us laugh? Are we someone that makes someone’s day with a laugh or are we bringing them down with the dark and dreary news and wringing as much angst and fear out of life that is possible?
Laughter connects you with people. It’s almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you’ve just howled with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy. John Cleese
We aren’t getting out of this life alive, whether we look on the bright side or the dark side. There is a lot of laughter in our house right now because the antics of a fourteen-month-old give us a lot to laugh about. When did we lose this natural enjoyment in life? Have we quit giggling with joy? Have we quit seeing the funny side of life because we fear we might offend someone?
If we can’t greet negativity with playful optimism and if we can’t find the funny in a situation it makes sense we will feel worse. Laughter may be one of our greatest self-help tools, the problem might be when we most need a laugh is when we find life the hardest.
When we are in a group of strangers if we all laugh at a joke the ice is broken. A good sense of humor will help us get along in life. One of the reasons we enjoy time with friends is we spend so much time laughing.
Can I bring more humor into my life? A long humorous life will be more enjoyable than one where we always look for the sad, unfair, and injustice in life. What if looking on the funny side of life could put things into perspective for us? What if for life to change we have to change, one of the best ways to change might be to look at our life with gratitude and see the humor in the big and little things in life.
Do we have enough humor in our life? How can we smile more, laugh more, and enjoy life more?
Your body cannot heal without play. Your mind cannot heal without laughter. Your soul cannot heal without joy. Catherine Rippenger Fenwick
Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine. Lord Byron
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. Victor Hugo
Thank you for reading this post. Please come back and read some more. Have a blessed day filled with gratitude, joy, and love.
