Something to laugh about today
As you have heard me say before, laughter is the best medicine for whatever ails you. Whether it is illness, sadness, frustration, grief, or any otherwise seemingly impossible situation, there is nothing that can lift your spirits more than laughter. Having something to make you smile or laugh can actually improve health, and it can also get you through some very uncomfortable situations. Stress and anxiety can cloud judgement. Depression is very common in our society, and laughter can provide a very effective treatment for gloominess or hopelessness.
In writing this article for you today, I needed some ideas to back up my encouragement in making people want to laugh. So, I went to the best source money can buy. I went to the Internet and did a Google search. In the search box, I typed “Something to laugh about today.”
WOW! What a multitude of information I found! There are videos people have posted online of family members or pets doing something funny; people post amusing jokes and stories; and there are people who have posted instructions on how to laugh today. One site has made a list of 24 things that will make you laugh.
Of course, we all find different things amusing. I may think something is hilariously funny, while you may think I am funny for thinking it is funny. I have often come home to my husband with a story or joke that I could hardly tell because I was laughing so hard, and he would just look at me as if I was crazy for even being amused.
I decided to ask the employees of The Madera Tribune to tell me what makes them laugh. (Just in case anyone gets offended because I didn’t include all members of the staff, I asked everyone who was in the building at the time I was conducting my survey. Also, for the sake of those who may accuse me of favoritism, these names are in alphabetical order.)
There were 11 people in the building (including me), and I asked this question: Tell me what makes you laugh. Give me the first thing that pops into your head.
• Ben — Schadenfreude — Enjoyment from the misery of others. Also, self-depreciating laughter, or laughing at my own mistakes. (By the way, Ben does not enjoy seeing others suffer. I do know that about him.)
• Carlos — When I remember a joke and tell someone, and then afterwards I laugh to myself.
• Chuck — You (speaking to Nancy)
• Juan — Tickles and jokes. “Sometimes when Patrick asks me why I am laughing, I tell him that I just told myself a joke I never told myself before.”
• Katrina — People
• Leslie — Corrie
• Lynda — My husband
• Nancy — Cats. There is nothing funnier than a cat. I love videos of cats.
• Patrick — Jokes
• Tyler — Robin Williams
• Wendy — Memories, usually of my kids and grandkids. When I need to laugh or smile, I bring up pictures of them on my phone, and I always laugh.
I asked these same people a second question, “Do you like to laugh?” All except one person said they loved to laugh. The exception said, “Sometimes.” (I think he was holding back. He loves to laugh, too.)
I personally think almost everyone loves to laugh, and I also think that if we can do anything to make someone laugh, we need to try to do that. There is just not enough laughter in our world. Get that belly rolling with laughter – a big old belly laugh!
I will end with something to laugh about today:
My boss texted me, “Send me one of your funny jokes, Nancy.”
I replied, “I’m working at the moment, I will send you one later.”
He replied, “That was fantastic, send me another one.”
Have a great weekend, folks! Laugh hard and mighty!
— My love to all,
Nancy
• • •
“When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when he is cheerful, everything seems right!”
— Proverbs 15:15
