Humor – Never Leave Home Without It
What comedian makes you laugh? Is it the slapstick of Laurel and Hardy? Or perhaps Jerry Seinfeld made you chuckle at the sublime and funny in the ordinary. I may be dating myself but what about George Burns? For me it was author Erma Bombeck who shared her life as a woman, wife, parent and patient, navigating with humor as her constant side kick.
- “There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain,
comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.”
- “Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died”
- “When humor goes, there goes civilization”
― Erma Bombeck
So very true.
And then there was Lucille Ball.
Lucille Ball is best remembered for her sense of humor in shows like I Love Lucy. She brought that sense of humor into her everyday life until the day she died. When she entered the hospital in April 1989 for a routine heart surgery, it would be the beginning of her final days. Yet despite the seriousness she continued to keep those around her at ease with her humor. It is said that while confined to the hospital, she continued to keep a schedule. She kept up with the current events, and often asked her visitors and family about their lives. She kept tabs on her medications and schedule of tests, giving her a sense of comfort and control. She stated that humor was her greatest gift and to never underestimated it’s power. Lucille Ball told those that cared for her in her final days to “keep laughing because that’s what keeps you going.” Humor helped her to be resilient in her marriage, her career and her business. She also looked for ways to compliment those around her, thanking them for their work and sharing how laughter helped her through the most difficult times of her life. Despite the challenges of her marriage to Desi Arnaz she reminded her children of how much joy their father brought into their life. Lucille Ball grew gratitude and not bitterness. She showed us how to face each day of life with honesty, candor, perseverance and humor.
Science has proven these comedians correct. Research shows that laughter can keep you healthy by increasing oxygen to the heart, lungs and muscle, increase the endorphins that are released by your brain, improve your mood and reduce physical pain. (Mayo Clinic).
According to comedian Paul Osincup, a past president of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH), you don’t have to be a comedian to laugh more. “Humor is not a talent, it’s a habit,” he says. He suggests not worrying about being clever or funny, but instead to get in the habit of seeing humor in everyday situations.
So how can you add a daily laughter pill (or two) to your diet? Save and watch funny movies, read funny greeting cards, post funny cartoons and memes on your refrigerator. For that matter, why not all through your home and make it a habit to read them as they come across your line of vision. Surround yourself with positive and funny people and pray for those that are perpetually grumpy even as you put some distance between you and them. Look for the funny throughout your day. Battling a crippling disease, writer Norman Cousins found that 10 minutes of deep belly laughter gave him two hours of pain-free sleep. “Each patient carries his own doctor inside him,” he wrote in his 1979 bestseller “Anatomy of an Illness.”
Thad and I have found humor to be a balm that coats even the most painful medical mayhem. When Thad had a second round of testicular cancer he told me “Don’t worry because I am fresh out of balls!”
When I was undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer my left breast became tender with deep burning red that then scattered to brown at the edges of the radiation field. My breast was literally red, white and brown. At the time I was working for a community college which boasted it’s diversity in student population. I suggested that I (or my breast) could be the poster for diversity for the college. I wonder why they didn’t take me up on that?
In both cases, the situation or facts didn’t change but our attitude and the way we traveled this path of medical mayhem was made lighter and doable. Humor is the best prescription for surviving and thriving mayhem.
And finally I will leave you with a quote from Peggy Rowe, Mike Rowe’s mom and prolific humorist.
“You may forget your glasses. You may forget your hearing aids.
And you might even forget your teeth. But never leave home
Without your sense of humor. It’s essential at any age!”
If you are going through medical mayhem take a lesson from these comedians – your life will be better for it.
Sources: https://kao.kendal.org/news/laughter-for-good-health/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=2061061126
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/11882.Erma_Bombeck
Thank you for reading my post. If you have found it encouraging please consider liking, commenting or sharing it. Feel free to even re-blog – may these words take flight!
I have additional insights I’d love to share with you found in the pages of my debut book: Surviving Medical Mayhem – Laughing When It Hurts. To order a copy or learn more go to my website at www.lorettaschoen.com
Blessings for Health & Wellness.