Laughter

I was taught that sleep, music, nature, humor (laughter), and the Bible are 5 things that relax and invigorate us.  They calm and uplift us.  They encourage and restore.

Sleep obviously relaxes and restores our energy.  That’s a no-brainer.  Music and nature both evoke emotions that can calm and uplift.  We’ve all probably experienced that.  The Bible is full of edification, exhortation, and comfort.  And of course, is the best source for all these things.  But what about humor?  Have you ever thought to yourself that you could use a good laugh?  Have you found yourself yearning for a “laugh ‘til you cry” kind of laughter?   Sometimes you might even think, “When was the last time I laughed?”  We actually need to laugh from time to time.

The internet is full of information about the emotional and physical benefits of laughter.  Here’s a statement I read online:

Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain, which activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure.

Even if we agree that laughter is beneficial, it sometimes eludes us.  (We all know that there are times in life when we cannot laugh and times when laughter is not appropriate.  I’m not referring to those times at all in this blog.)  But there are times when we are stuck in the doldrums, or feel down because of everyday stresses or worldly pressures.  These are the times when laughter can relax and invigorate us.

When I’m in the doldrums or down hearted, I will often seek comical relief – maybe a favorite funny movie.  Finding entertainment (movies, TV, stand-up comedy, books, etc.) that makes us laugh is a welcomed diversion to get our minds off our troubles.  Everyone’s sense of humor is different, but for me a good slapstick works every time… 

The scene is Inspector Jacques Clouseau, a dog, and a man.  Inspector Clouseau, with his almost unintelligible French accent: “Does your dog bite?”  The man: “No.”  The Inspector reaches to pet the dog, which bites him.  The Inspector: “I thought you said you dog does not bite.”  The man: “That’s not my dog.” 

Knowing movie lines that we can quote, or scenes we can replay in our minds, often makes us chuckle.  Those can be quick ‘pick-me-ups’ when we need them.  Of course this isn’t limited to movies.  Many favorite quotes can come from stand-up comics, sitcoms, or books.  Remembering these can lighten our mood.  Sometimes just talking about a favorite comedy triggers our laughter.  Or just saying a comedian’s name can bring amusing thoughts to mind.

Of course humor is found in more than just Hollywood entertainment.  We can have funny conversations with friends and family about silly things that happen.  We can recap a funny memory, especially with those who share it.  We can quip back and forth with witty retorts or banter.  We can tell a joke.  We can laugh at ourselves. And we can laugh about our common quirks.  How about playing a game?  Board games or card games can many times result in uproarious laughter.  Guessing games like Charades can also be very amusing.  One of the times I laughed the longest and hardest was watching my sons dancing to a video game.  All of these episodes of laughter invigorate us.  Any of them can help us feel uplifted or restored. 

Think about tickling.  Why do we tickle our kids?  To make them laugh.  (however, it might cause the opposite effect on adults, so use sparingly.)  Why do we want our kids to laugh?  Because to us their laughter equates to their happiness.  Silly things like tickling or pretend-chasing delight children and thus delight us.  When my grandchildren were younger, I would pretend-chase them in a circle around the couch and coffee table.  I would use very exaggerated arm swings and steps, but still be unable to catch them for several laps around the couch, all the while they laughed with glee.  Then I would stop suddenly and turn around toward them, which would cause screams of laughter and the chase would then proceed in the opposite direction.  This would continue until I ran out of steam, usually to their dismay.  Those are special memories that bring a smile to my face.  There is nothing like the sound of children’s laughter to delight our hearts! 

But that delight isn’t limited to our kids, how about times when you make an adult laugh?  Isn’t that delightful?  Yes, because really, aren’t we our happiest when those around us (especially family) are happy?  Humor can be an avenue toward those happy feelings for both parties.  One of my favorite things is making my husband laugh.  It’s not an easy task.  So when I succeed, it’s a great victory – very satisfying! 

A word of caution, however…  As previously noted, laughter should have positive qualities.  Teasing, pranks and practical jokes may seem funny to you, but may not be funny to the recipient.  Laughter in these situations might not meet that positive criteria.  Of course that doesn’t make all teasing, pranks, or practical jokes bad.  I’ve seen some pranks that were downright hilarious.  Just make sure the recipient is laughing too.  And never laugh at someone’s expense or make fun of someone.  Laughter in those situations is hurtful.  But I think we all know that. 

At any given time, the world can be an unhappy place with a myriad of stress producing circumstances.  If we find ourselves in the rough seas of worldly pressures, we can use these relaxing and invigorating tools to navigate our way through.  Without any doubt, the Bible offers our best defense against the pressures of life.  (It offers our best offense too!)  But laughter can be an acceptable “cure to what ails you”.  It can aid us in our maintaining a positive attitude and diverting our attention away from the negatives we’re facing.  And as doctors and scientists agree, it can benefit our health.  

So take a moment to think of something funny.  Giggle, chuckle, snicker, hoot, cackle, guffaw or just plain smile.  Try it and see if it doesn’t make you feel just a little better.  😊

Proverbs 17:22

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Note to my readers:  I love you!  Thanks for laughing!

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.”
—Mark Twain.

Ted Striker: “Surely you can’t be serious.”
Dr. Rumack: “I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley”
—Ted Striker (Robert Hays) and Dr. Rumack (Leslie Nielsen), Airplane!