We Must Laugh

Ask me what laughter is.

Go ahead and ask.

I know it when I see and hear it. So do you. But what is it? I am not really sure.

The dictionary is not much help. In fact, it is rather circular:

"the action or sound of laughing."

That settles it - somewhere. I suppose.

Wikipedia offers more.

"Laughter is a pleasant physical reaction and emotion consisting usually of rhythmical, often audible contractions of the diaphragm and other parts of the respiratory system."

That helps. I suppose.

Of course, there are neurological studies that give us insight into the brain functions involved. There are chemical stimulants that provoke it and chemicals that are produced by it. Norman Cousins echoes, in the 80s, the wisdom of Solomon that laughter is very good medicine.

Even if it does not cure, you feel better.

I know very few people who do not agree that it is good to laugh. I do not seek out the company of those who never laugh. I enjoy people who contribute to the grace of laughter in my life.

So, here is my shot at an experiential definition of laughter in the form of an acronym:

LIFE

Life is absurd, silly, painful, perplexing,  deep, and shallow. It is difficult to cope without learning to laugh at oneself. It is impossible to cope without laughing at all. If you are not laughing, you are not looking at life.

AFFECT

Affect, used as a noun, means to display emotion. If one does not harness the power of laughter and occasionally give in to it, one is stifling a significant emotion and not displaying the full range of affect. Dulling the senses locks out a great deal of potential.

UNDERSTANDING

When we can appreciate humor, it is often the result of a deeper understanding of the connection between ideas, circumstances, and other emotions in our life. Laughter both triggers and is triggered by self-understanding, insight into human nature, and appreciation of the realities of life.

GROWTH

Our senses of humor grow with us. As we mature, our laughter matures. As we become more sophisticated, so does our humor. Subtleties take on greater meaning in our lives. We can chuckle and grin at the complexities. We learn to laugh at ourselves with greater ease.

HOPE

If we can laugh, we can hope. Laughter that is not cruel can bring us onto common ground with others who might be natural adversaries.  It enables us to see one another as part of a shared humanity. It reminds us that we are more alike than different. One wonders if there can be any real peace without shared laughter. But I hasten to add another "h" here. It is hopeful because it is healing to  humans, to the emotions, to the body, and to relationships.

TERMINAL

We will stop  laughing someday. We all will, in our bodies. Don't stop before you are dead. That is soon enough. When you terminate laughter, you terminate an important part of your living. Live until you die and then, go out with a chuckle.

ESSENTIAL

During the pandemic, I watched more late night comedy, told more jokes, and enjoyed more silliness than usual. Many people did. When all that could stay open were essential services, humorists broadcasted from home. It is essential because we need it and because it is intrinsic. i remember my grandchildren laughing at silly things without being taught to laugh. Early in life, they knew how to take food in, expel waste, cry when the wanted something, and laugh when they were happy.

RIGHT

For all these reasons, it is right to laugh. Red Skelton believed that God had put him on earth to make people laugh. And he did. Laughter is not always the right response, but it often is, even in the hardest of times, even when mingled with tears, even when our tasks are dead serious. It is right to laugh.

 

 

 

Read Cousins' book (above) and this talk.

 

A short joke for you:

Which Way to Heaven?

 

Billy Graham tells of a time early in his ministry when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon. Wanting to mail a letter, he asked a young boy where the post office was.

 

When the boy had told him, Dr. Graham thanked him and said, "If you'll come to the Baptist Church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven."

 

The boy replied, "I don't think I'll be there... You don't even know your way to the post office."

 

Laughter is the Best Medicine

And it’s a great adjunct in the treatment of patients with cancer.

By Charlene Gayle Story Pattillo, BSN, RN, OCN, and Joanne Itano, PhD, RN, OCN

Laughing All the Way

Author and scholar Norman Cousins’ pioneering research on the impact of humor on health continues through the center that bears his name.

A Joyful Heart is Good Medicine

"For many years, Reader’s Digest magazine has published a monthly article called 'Laughter the Best Medicine.' But Reader’s Digest didn’t originate the idea..."