Laughing Again
Table of Contents:
- Shelley Shares: Laughing Again
- Making Life Easier Tips to Keep Your Sunny Side Up
- Services, Resources, and Products for Tickling Your Funny Bone
- Quotes of the Month
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 1. Shelley Shares
"Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. It doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it makes things more acceptable for a while." I do not know who said it, but to me that quote is a perfect analogy for life with a chronic illness. It is hard to laugh when you are grieving your losses, worried about the future, and frustrated by your lack of control. But I believe it is absolutely essential that we laugh because it makes the journey easier.
Funny situations and circumstances are all around us. Here are a few of my favorites: I was explaining to my son's friend that I used to be right handed but was now left handed because of my disability. Excitedly he said, "I know. That means - you're amphibious!"
Then there was the time that my girlfriend, her 11-year old daughter, and I went to the mall. My friend pulled my lift-equipped van into a handicapped parking stall which prompted her daughter to say, "Mom, we can't park here." From my wheelchair in the back of the van I said, "Nancy, it's OK. It's for me." We all had a good laugh and I learned that people, especially children, do not necessarily see our limitations, even when they are obvious.
Self deprecating humor or laughing at oneself is another way of bringing laughter into your life. When I speak to audiences about strategies for living with a chronic illness, I share my personal story and describe my disabilities. I add that, "a strange thing happened when I lost the use of my legs and dominant right arm and hand. My mouth got bigger; or, at least that's what my family says."
Looking for and finding funny slices of life give us a brief respite from our limitations and worries. Remember, it is impossible to cry with a smile on your face.
2. Making Life Easier Tips
Watch funny movies
Find movies that make you laugh, remind you of happier times, or "take you away" for a few hours. My favorites are: "Animal House," "Weekend at Bernie's," "Pretty Woman," "Sister Act," and "Sleepless in Seattle." Laughing hard at silly situations, stupid jokes, and slapstick comedy gives respite from sadness and the positive feelings can last for hours after the movie has ended.
Ask your family and friends to share funny stories.
Everyone has funny stories to share. Just ask them about:
- Travel plans that went awry – One time our son spent too much time in the airport gift shops and we were late for our plane. All the other passengers had boarded, making it very difficult for us to get to our assigned seats in the back of the plane. I was not happy that I would have to be carried on with everyone watching. The gate agent realized what was involved and found us seats that were easier to get to. We were "forced" to sit in 1st Class for the 4-hour trip to California.
- A silly mistake someone made - A friend was putting together a newsletter and was writing about a well-known rabbi who was coming to speak at the next meeting. Unfortunately when the newsletters came back from the printer, every place it was to say "rabbi," it said, "rabbit."
- An embarrassing moment - My daughter will never forget the time the wheelchair lift on our van broke down right outside her apartment building and in the process of getting me out of the van, I "mooned" (showed my bottom to) her doorman.
- Funny things people say - My son was saying a prayer and changed the wording slightly. "King of the universe" came out "King of the uterus."
- Jokes people have played - A friend invited us over for a fancy dinner and then served hot dogs, potato chips, Jell-O, and Twinkies for dessert.
Think about stories that you remember that tickle your funny bone or even better, tickle someone else's.
Get out of the house
Take a walk in the neighborhood and watch the children playing - One time I heard a real diplomat in the making. Four girls were arguing about who should be the leader. Finally one voice rose above the others, pointing to each girl she proclaimed, "You're a leader. You're a leader. You're a leader. NOW FOLLOW ME!"
Get yourself a pet (bird, prairie dog, dog, or cat)
I was never a dog person - that is until my husband and I "dog sat" for our son's dog. During the 4 months that Chueco lived with us, he provided us with hours of side-splitting laughter. Whether he was devouring a doggie treat, fetching the evening paper, sitting vigilant next to the dinner table waiting for crumbs to drop, or getting his belly rubbed, we had smiles on our faces his whole visit.
If you can't have a pet where you live or don't want the responsibility, visit an animal shelter in your community and play with an abandoned or stray animal.
Give yourself permission to do something silly.
Do something a kid would do. Have a pillow fight. Play dress up and put on silly hats and clothes. Make funny faces in the mirror. Have someone take a digital picture of you looking silly.
3. Making Life Easier Resources, and Products
Get cable or join NetFlix
Watching old sitcoms and movies or renting them from the video store can provide hours of fun and laughter. Or go to www.netflix.com and sign up for a service that sends you DVDs by mail. For a fee of $17.99 a month, you can choose from 25,000 titles. Just select titles from their online list and 3 tiles are sent. When you're finished watching the DVDs, return in the prepaid addressed envelope and the next titles on your list will be sent. There are no late fees.
Take joke books, CD's, or videos out of the library
Joke of the Day Web sites
From "Today's Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen", posted with special permission. For many more cartoons, please visit Randy's site @ www.glasbergen.com.
4. Quotes of the Month
Laughter is the jam on the toast of life. It adds flavor, keeps it from being too dry and makes it easier to swallow.
Reader's Digest
If you can find humor in it, you can survive it.
Bill Cosby
Humor prevents a hardening of the attitudes.
Joel Goodman
I laughed till the tears ran down my leg.
Source Unknown
If you don't have wrinkles, you haven't laughed enough.
Phyllis Diller
A man without mirth is a like a wagon without springs. He is jolted disagreeably by every pebble in the road.
Henry Ward Beecher
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