Here is an interesting article about laughter being good for you. We all know it is but I thought the following quotes really summed up and put into words the way my family works. Not just the family I live with in my house, but also the one I grew up in, and the one I married into. Now you know why I'm always laughing. My family is a riot, and here is how it helps us:Couples know that laughter is a superglue-like bonding experience, able to achieve intimacy and smooth over ruffled feathers with a single snort. Laughter in the context of love puts you at ease with one another. You can feel perfectly comfortable being ridiculously silly with one another, in ways you would never dream of with anyone else. Couples who frequently make each other laugh are blessed with long, happy marriages, and are envied more than any svelte Hollywood pair.
The best compliment Bill gave me was late one night after I had a horrible mom day at home with a young Kyra. I was grouchy and annoyed and a little ticked off that Bill was making me read an email that was forwarded to him. Blah, blah. I have no idea what was in the email, but I do know that I was laughing so hard that I was crying. Tears streaked down my checks as I tried to snort out what was so funny. Bill sat by laughing hysterically at ME, not the joke. I'm sure I even had to get up to go to the bathroom before I finished reading. After we both calmed down Bill said he knew it was funny and laughed when he first read it but, "everything is funnier with you, that's why I love you!" Aah, isn't that sweet?! Now you can envy Bill and I more than you do Brad and whomever.
Families benefit from shared laughter as well. Siblings can become best friends. After all, it is hard to dislike a person that makes you laugh, even if that person is an irritating sibling you have often wanted to strangle in the past. It can only happen if you spend time talking and playing together. Reminiscing and laughing about the past has a way of soothing hurts and grudges, and cements those relationships into some of the strongest bonds we can experience in life.
I like to hear the funny stories that my friends tell. I smile when I think of my friend doing funky dances to make her kid laugh instead of yell. I laugh out loud when my friend calls to get something off her chest that is so ridiculous that only I will understand. I vent and complain, and then apologize and laugh. Bill noted once that I went "from 0-to-pissed off in .6 seconds" and that statement alone got us laughing so hard that he had to pull over so we wouldn't crash.
The article talks about the psychological benefits of laughter and points out that often it is real life interactions that are the most important. You don't need to spend hours at the comedy club, just some quality time laughing with people you love. As much as I like to have deep conversations with people, there are also times when I just need a good laugh...
8 comments:
Well said. You're one of my favorites to laugh with.:-)
What an awesome post Helena. I am going to keep a log of all the silly things we laugh at for the next month and then post it to remember always and laugh at again and again. It is so nice how much we gain from each other!
Laughing is one of my favorite past times...if you can't make me laugh, then we probably don't hang out alot. I like to be around funny people, they are like magnets to me. I enjoy someone that take a break from life and just sit back, be silly, and laugh. Thanks for the post. It's a good one.
So true! My best friends are people that I laugh with constantly. Everything is more entertaining around them. And as for spousal laughter - ryan woulda' been smashed over the head with a cookie pan if it weren't for laughter. He's lucky that he is so witty.
I woudl also add that Justin has not been my favorite person lately, but yesterday at the Three Billy Goats Gruff when I watched him smiling and laughing I felt very in love with him again. Laughter is definietly healing.
I laughed today when Elizabeth received your sweet note in the mail and the return address stamp listed: Bill and Helena
Billpayers!
Oh Sara, how you appreciate the little things :) Bill is not supposed to use that stamp on personal mail, we have plenty of free sticky addresses for that. We had hoped that some bill collector somewhere might get a kick out of it, while at the same time vent our frustration every time we chunked that stamp down.
H and I have had some pretty good times laughing so hard it hurts and you can't even stand. There have been times where we have been laughing so hard and so long that one of us has had to leave the room in order to gain control over the laughter. When Billy was younger, he used to think we were nuts because we would laugh so hard at no apparent reason. It is true. Everything is funnier with H!
Post a Comment