Mostly Brave

“Every time you are able to find some humor in a difficult situation, you win.” – Author Unknown

There are maybe only one or two difficult situations in my 58 years of living that I couldn’t find something that I thought was funny. I have had some pretty bad things happen to me in my life and humor seemed to be the only way that I was able to heal.  If you don’t see me smiling or laughing about something then that means I am in a world of pain; that not even humor can break through. I have read that some of the funniest comedians struggle with depression. I would think they, of all people, would be able to laugh at their own situations, but I am sure there a few situations that even they can’t laugh about.

There are movies that show the value in looking at life’s toughest times with humor. If you have ever seen Monsters, Inc then you know that the monsters discovered that they were able to harness more energy with laughter than they were with screams. Or maybe you have seen Steel Magnolias, where the characters use humor to cope with grief and support each other. Truvy, played by Dolly Parton, says, “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” This line comes from a scene where one of the characters has suffered a painful loss and she and her friends are laughing one moment and then crying another.

I come from a funny family and grew up watching my parents laugh with their friends.  Our house was filled with funny stories or quick-witted comments, which I am very thankful for. If you are friends with me, or a member of my family, then you know that I have at least one funny story that connects us together. These stories pick me up when I am down, and I certainly hope that watching my funny moments would pick them up as well.

Some studies show that laughter can help you live a longer life. I think that is true and not true.  My dad was one of the funniest people I knew and he died at the age of 42 from a heart defect that he had since he was a baby. I think ultimately God has our number and my dad’s number was the number 42. I love the quote from Evan Almighty that says, It’s not the length of the life that you live. It’s the width that you live.” My dad lived the width of his life and I can promise you; he left this earth experiencing a lifetime of ups and downs; seen through the eyes of humor. That’s how I want to go out too, don’t you?