Laughter ~ Balm for the Soul

Click on photo for article about humor and children.
You don’t stop laughing because you grow old.
You grow old because you stop laughing.  ~ Michael Pritchard
~~~

What would life be like without laughter? One of the many gifts of aging is acquiring the ability to take ourselves a bit less seriously. While some people are just born with the ability to laugh many are not. Most of us, however, can learn. My brother-in-law (my husband’s twin) happens to be one of the funniest men alive. I think of him and I laugh. I replay stories he told in my head or with my husband and we just giggle until tears run down our cheeks.  The facts of his stories are not unlike our own. It’s his perspective that is different and he’s honed his delivery to the level of an art form.  One by one he turns life’s little displeasures into anecdotes that make his listeners roar with side-splitting laughter.  I have learned so much from his ability to look at the humor in a situation and subsequently “lighten up”!

My family of origin was deadly serious. They had very little sense of humor, nor did they seem to get comedy in general. Some people are just like that. Have you ever tried to casually joke with a cashier that just stared back at you blankly? It’s not easy to feel as if you were the one with the problem. It could, however, that your wit  just fell on deaf ears and the next person may laugh right along with you.  Humor is a slippery animal, so much of what is funny depends on a mutual point of reference. But, it is oh so important. In fact, researchers tell us that laughter is right up there with tears for cleansing the body, mind and soul. It will lift your spirits and heal your body like magic.

Fortunately, I married into a family with a great sense of humor and I have gained so much from spending time with them over the years. They have had no small part in helping me to laugh at myself and hone my sense of humor and story telling skills.  I’m happy to say that my husband and I, and our two sons, laugh a lot. Life has been hard, but laughter has become a balm for our souls and a way of making each day a little brighter.

Some of you may be familiar with Perrie Meno-Pudge. I have been following them for a couple of years now and I love that they are seeking to find humor in midlife angst. If you need a laugh now and again, you might want to follow them on Facebook or Twitter or visit their website now and again.  Here’s their Facebook post from yesterday:

‎”MIDLIFE TEXTING CODES EXPLAINED:

ATD ~ at the doctor

BFF ~ best friend fell

BTW ~ bring the wheelchair

BYOT ~ bring your own teeth

FWIW ~ forgot where I was

GHA ~ got heartburn again

LMDO ~ laughing my dentures off

OMMR ~ on my massage recliner

ROFL&CGU ~ rolling on floor laughing and can’t get up

TTYL ~ talk to you louder!

                                                        ~ Perrie Meno-Pudge

2 Replies to “Laughter ~ Balm for the Soul”

  1. One of the things I love about my husband is that he is always seeing the humor in everything! He makes me laugh from morning to night! He endeared me with his jokes and humorous viewpoint on life. Rarely,and I do mean rarely, is he in a “bad” mood. We have been married 21 years and I could count on one hand the times I remember that he wasn’t making me laugh. I appreciate his humor and the joy it brings to our life. We have had some difficult times, expecially when my elderly Mom lived with us, but through it all he still continued to see the humor in it all! Thanks for your message. I agree wholeheartedly!

    1. De De, Finding humor in life can make such a difference! I’m glad you have had so much in yours ~ it is such good medicine for a marriage! I know it has been for mine of 29 years! 🙂 DS

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