Laughing at life
by Julie Carter
As long as we are still drawing a breath, we have the
opportunity to keep learning life’s lessons, big and small. For myself, I have
found that grasping some of the simple lessons are often the most rewarding.
One of those is learning to laugh and laugh in abundance.
Laughter is a precious gift. It dislodges anger in the way a
summer rain washes the dust from the landscape. It fosters friendship and
dilutes hostility. Medical science says laughter helps the healing process.
A willingness to laugh is the first step to the joy of
laughter. Seeing humor in situations may take practice for some, for others it
is an art. I laugh at myself as much as I laugh at anyone or anything.
Sometimes I’m the only one who thinks I’m funny, but that too makes me laugh.
Knowing the difference between a mishap and a catastrophe is
important, as is understanding that likely you can do nothing about either
except pick up the pieces. Your choice is to laugh about it or grumble. Choose
laughter.
Almost every situation benefits from the application of
laughter. People take themselves way too seriously – looking for perfection, a
way to be indispensable and in complete control. They set themselves up for a
life of stress and failure. Self-appointed superintendents of the world work
way too hard at jobs they will never complete.
I have friends who make me laugh. I laugh with them, at them
and we all laugh at almost everything. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be and
so if I keep friends who remember more or differently than I do, there is a
never-ending series of topics to laugh at.
Success almost always happens in private and failure in full
view. So laugh at it. Not one shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea
that life is serious. If you smile when things go wrong, people will
undoubtedly be assured you have someone in mind to blame.
Laughter is contagious. If people nearby aren’t laughing
with you they are at least curious about what is making you laugh. They will
want some of the same.
Euphoria is fleeting at best and needs fed continually to
sustain beyond the moment. The skill
is not in the emotion but in the ability to keep it going. You can always find
sorrow in the world; finding joy sometimes takes effort. Make the effort.
It might even hurt a little the first time, but crack that
smile wide open even if you have not yet found something to smile about. It
won’t be a terminal pain. Surround yourself with people who find joy in life
and like to laugh. You will learn to laugh by association. I can promise an
addiction to the joy. You will want more of it.
Laughter is a gift to be shared. When you have learned to
laugh, help someone else that needs to feel the fun. That quick laugh you share
with someone today may be the spark of joy that turns his day around.
Plan to be spontaneous, even if you wait until tomorrow. Joy
comes with no expiration date.
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