Laughter is the best medicine

From My Perspective

by Toni Walker

You know, they say that laughter is the best medicine. From my perspective, I would have to agree. I mean, seriously, think about it for a minute. What other thing can be done to make pretty much any situation better?

I have become the time of person that, when I am faced with a dire circumstance, I tend to laugh. Now, I am not saying that I would laugh at a person holding a gun to my head. But, in what seems to be the worst of times, I find a way to laugh. I have been known to be the person at the funeral home, during visitation for a loved one, to come up with the most off-the-wall, craziest things to say to lighten the mood.

And I am not the only person who can make somebody laugh. I have a couple of friends, that when we get together, no matter what kind of day we have all had, we will be laughing by the time we leave. And I do not just mean simply a chuckle here or there. No, I mean a full on, sides hurting, snorting kind of laugh. There is something about a good laugh with great friends that makes the troubles of the day disappear, even if just for a little while.

My friends are not the only ones I get a kick out of laughing with. I have a confession to make: sometimes, when my kids have really gotten on my nerves, to keep from wringing their neck, I will do something crazy. They will start chuckling a little, then I do some more, then they laugh, and then I laugh. And before you know it, I have totally forgotten that they were being such annoying little brats just a few minutes earlier. My husband employs this technique with them on a regular basis, as well. His “Bubba T. Baker” act has become his go to when the mood in our house needs to be lightened, and the kids love it!

You know, as I write this, I have started thinking about some of the darkest times I have gone through in my life: the death of a child as well as my father being the two most devastating experiences I have been through. However, looking back now, I can see how laughter and sharing the funny stories got me through. Now, I have tried to start using laughter to help detract some of the heaviness from situations.

So, yes, laugher can be the best medicine. I know it has been for me on numerous occasions. I believe in laughter so much, that it is my hope that when I am gone, that is one of the things my friends remember about me: that I made them laugh!