Laughter is good for our mental health. Laughing at embarrassing moments is a great place to start. When something funny or embarrassing happens to you, write it down. On days when things aren't going quite right, you can read about those funny happenings and suddenly your day will be brighter.
Always - and I mean always - take time to laugh! It is the music of the soul! Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror when you first get up in the morning? One time when I was awakened by the sound of my very loud alarm and still in a "morning fog" - I jumped out of bed, headed straight to the bathroom, walked past the mirror and stopped. Taking a hard look at myself, I started laughing uncontrollably. The look on my face was pitiful, my hair was going in lots of crazy directions, my pajamas were twisted, and a feather from my pillow was stuck to my neck. I decided to give my husband a good laugh too. I went back into the bedroom, exactly the way I came out, and said, "I love you, and fixed myself up this morning, just for you!" At first he hesitated, just in case I was being serious (smart man!). The he realized I was being funny, and it would be okay to laugh at me - we laughed hardily for a good five minutes.
My daughter tells a story of a friend of hers who was awakened throughout the night because she kept hearing a mysterious, funny noise. Each time she heard it, she would turn the light on, to find nothing. After many attempts to find out what this annoying noise could be, she finally realized it was coming from her nose. That's right! As she would breathe in and out, her nose was whistling. Now, that's funny! How do I know about this? She thought it was funny enough to share with others.
I was chatting with one of my grandchildren a while back, and in an effort to encourage him, I bragged on his athletic abilities, his good looks, and his great personality. I asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. He was seven years old at the time, and this was his reply: "Why do you care? You'll be dead by then!" Every time I think about that night at Starbucks with my grandson I laugh! It has become a running joke in our family. When I ask certain questions, you guessed it. . .someone always says: "Why do you care? You'll be dead by then!" . . . and everyone laughs.
Don't take life so seriously. If something funny happens to you today, write it down. Share it with others. I heard Barbara Johnson say this about laughter and loved it. . ."Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper: It doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it does make things more acceptable for a while."
Learn to laugh even in the hard times. Think of three circumstances in your difficult situation that you can poke fun at - and laugh! We could all use a good laugh today - why not share it with us too?
Thought for the Day: There is hope for anyone who can look in a mirror and laugh at what they see!
