Looking at the Funny Side of Life

We've all got our problems. There's no one that has a peaceful existence without suffering the problems that living presents, whether that's an IRS audit or a bout with a cold. But humor has an important place in life and if we're not using it, we're shortening our lives.

As adults we all have busy lifestyles, but the fact is the busier we get, the more we need laughter and humor. Laughter, we've been told, by more than just Reader's Digest, is the best medicine. After all a grin uses far fewer facial muscles than a frown. So unless you feel a great need to exercise more of your facial muscles than necessary, a smile, a grin, chuckle will make you feel a whole lot better than worrying about bills and the future.

There's a story (possibly true) that a man with cancer cured himself simply by reading funny stories and watching funny movies. There's something to laughter that does the soul good. Consider the Dalai Lama and how often he smiles and laughs. You'd expect him to wear a frown and walk around angry at the Chinese and what they did to his country and its peoples. Yet he goes on to smile!

I just have to admire a man like that. Humble and yet keeps smiling despite his difficulty. Too many people approach a difficult situation with gut wrenching determination and the attitude of a steam roller ready to squash anyone that stands in their way.

The world needs more humor, more laughter. What we need is a session with a team of professional humorists, minus what they might charge for the service. Unfortunately, you won't find such a service in the yellow pages.

To put a smile on our faces doesn't require a college education. All we need is a simple change of attitutde. Here are some pointers:

SMILE! I remember a gal named Lillian. She had a genuine attitude toward everyone she met. She'd greet you as if you were the most important person she ever met. Diamond Lily lived up to her billing and didn't let anything upset her. The fact that she resembled Mama Cass in face and form was hardly noticeable by all the guys. I even moved into her apartment right by the Decarie Boulevard in Montreal where the smog, traffic noises and winter chills were sure to wreck havoc on my health. I stayed only to live out the balance of her rental clause. I just wouldn't have done that for any other woman, but I sure was happy to do it for Lily! Just imagine where a genuine smile can take you! It CAN get you out of a pickle in more than one occurence. How can anyone who intends to do you harm face up to a smile? A smile just diffuses a nasty situation.

Read humorous books and watch funny movies. There's plenty at your local video shop. Of course, what tickles the funny bone for one doesn't work for the next guy. I can get a chuckle with a one-liner from Bob Hope as I can from watching Dumb and Dumber for the fourth time (No, I haven't watched it that many time, but I'll get around to it). Someone is likely to join a terrorist group when I say I actually LIKED Laugh-In.

BE CHILD-LIKE. I didn't say CHILDISH. Children are naturals at smiling and laughter. Is it any wonder why we want them around us. The child-like mind doesn't see danger. Danger is something they cultivate as they get older. In fact children smile and laugh ten to one hundred times more than adults. Or sure they don't have a mortgage to worry about, but you and me know that worrying about it won't make the bills go away.

So you roasted the pot roast too much? Don't cry over it. Your pot roast won't improve if you baste it with your tears.

ATTITUDE...Attitude! What happens when you start talking to a stranger? Undoubtedly you're looking for his ulterior motive. He wants something from you, so you guard your wallet with an alarm system. Why can't we just talk and communicate without having to think that someone other than the government is out to drain our bank accounts?

REALIZE the impermanence in all things. Let's get back to Lily for a moment. Do you think she'll be easily forgotten by all those people she met? Of course not. Life is short and if you want to be remembered you can: a) become a notorius dictator that instills fear, loathing and terror into the people. b) achieve great things only to fail at life and relationships. Everyone has heard of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. Famous yes, but would you want to emulate them? c) become like Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalia Lama.

The simple point is that humor, an infectious attitude will spread far more and do more to create a better world than just terror alone. And likely you'll be remembered far longer than any dictator.

So cultivate humor like you'd cultivate your garden. Like a glorious flower or fully ripened fruit, humor will eventually dispense the weeds of life.