Laughter Is The Best Medicine

“A cheerful heart is good medicine…” Proverbs- 17:22

“Overly serious but working on it.”

Oh no, that’s not me! I just read how someone has described herself in her Bio. It made me wonder how someone could be so serious that to laugh and lighten up… get a bit of humor…was something they had to “work on.”

I wouldn’t be able to go through the day without laughter. There is always something that brings it on. A memory, a fumble or silly mistake with hilarious results; a joke, sight or sound, a conversation. Alone or with people, there are so many reasons why I laugh. I am amused by many things. I’m not talking about making fun of someone or ridiculing someone or something… not that kind of laughter. I’m speaking about a pure sense of humor. I even laugh at myself! I do some really funny, silly things and I enjoy a good laugh after.

Some days, I find humor that’s gentle, quiet, and subtle. And other days it could be – ironic, characteristic, delightful, playful, or then, just on point.

On a hunt for some pics to use for an article, I came across some interesting ones. One of an eagle. I saved it. Then I came across one with birds sitting on a wire. I saved it. And then there was one of a bird perched on the head of a statute. I saved that one too. I had no clue what I was going to do with these pics. None of these suited the article! But as I looked at them, subtitles popped into my head. And the article I had planned to write took the back seat as the pictures gave me prompts that reflected my thoughts on myself with a huge dollop of humor. Not the uproarious kind. The on-point kind.

Some days I wake up feeling on top of the world raring to go.

I’m a David, confident of knocking out Goliath!

I’m an eagle, soaring above the earth, just beneath the clouds…the lord of all I survey.

And I step out and meet the hustle and bustle of a typical weekday. I jostle or get jostled in the crowded streets by other ‘Davids’ also headed to face their goliaths.

I am outnumbered.

I feel weighed down and harried.

I feel the gall rising.

My breath quickens, my nostrils flare as my breathing accelerates.

And then… I spread my wings and rise… rise…leaving the flood of human traffic overflowing the streets below.

I leave the flock of pigeons behind. I am Eagle!

“Don’t be afraid of being outnumbered. Eagles fly alone. Pigeons flock together.”

~Unknown

Pic: Ben Lowe on Unsplash

And then, some days, I am the pigeon… preferring to do what my flock does. Go where my flock goes.

Pic: Kristina Tolmacheva on Unsplash

And other days, I am the statue! Low in drive, energy, aimless, cemented. And my get up and go has already got up and gone! I’m stuck. Blank. No joy. No sorrow. Everything’s a no-go.

Pic: Abdul Zreika on Unsplash

“Some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue!”

~J Andrew Taylor

And then I read something that perks me up with a dollop of humor. One can’t stay down in the dumps after a good laugh! Humor is the best medicine. I got this as a forwarded message on WhatsApp.

Now, I better get out of here. Hunger and humor aren’t the best of friends. It’s not going to be very funny if the lunch is served at tea time!! And humor doesn’t work with ‘hangry’ 8-year-olds!