Whatever Happened to: Laughter?

 

Have We Forgotten How to Laugh

The other day I heard a joke. I haven’t laughed so hard in all my life! I can’t recall the last time my belly hurt from laughter. This got me thinking about the act of taking a joke and laughing out loud behind it. 

Have we forgotten how? Have we even forgotten how to laugh at ourselves? 

Has the art of sarcasm been lost to us these days, or are times so dour that we won’t or can’t laugh at the ridiculous? I admit, until that moment, I thought I’d forgotten how. For as bad, silly, and crazy as life can  sometimes seem, especially today, I wonder if we’ve forgotten how to laugh. Is there a magic formula to take when we don’t feel like laughing? If nothing else, laughing can lift our spirits when feeling low.

I have a Facebook friend who posts snippets of his life with his wife. They are absolutely hilarious and give us a glimpse at the everyday humor of life as he lives it day-to-day. I keep urging him to gather these nuggets and put them in a book, but he’s reluctant. (sigh!)

I also have a friend who posts beautiful photos as seen from a Kentucky horse farm. Another is so adept at video reels she should start a film studio. Another posts photos of her passion for gardening, and another a collection of absolutely stunning travel photos—you know who you are. There is so much talent out there that should be shared far beyond social media, and laughter is one.

I like that we try to look at life through various lenses. Laughter is no exception. Not taking everything so seriously is a way to stay sane in an insane world. After all;

Laughter is a Smile for the Soul: A poem

I like the sound of my laughter,

When it comes from underneath.

I like it when I hoot out loud,

Unfettered, messy, and deep.

I like to hear it crawling out.

I like the staccato hitches and beats.

I like to hear it hiccup uncontrolled,

Blurted out like pounding meat.

I like to slap my thigh in a guffaw.

I like the pleasant feeling it gives.

I like the tears that are bound to fall,

Tightening my belly to nibs.   

I like the snort, the giggle, the windedness.

I like the aching for it to cease.

I like the easing up and starting again,

By the memory of the piece.

Yes. Like a child.

I like the sound of laughter,

When it comes from underneath.

I like to hear it hoot out loud,

Unfettered, messy, and deep. 

 

~d.lawrence

From my book Looking In from Outside: Poetry & Prose, titled “Laughter.”

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Photo Courtesy of Tim Mossholder