I rediscovered my laugh this week. When I heard it, this tinkle of noise that burst forth into a full blown exhalation of happy air from my lungs, I decided time for more of that. When did I get so damned serious about myself, politics, the economy, and just life in general? While examining my unexamined life has led me to a path of self-acceptance and authenticity, I must have buried that sense of humor in a pile of muck while I was panning for gold. Unearthing it again, has been one of the bigger “gold nugget” discoveries I made about me and big part of what makes me tick and keeps me going.... I love to smile, and laugh. It is a huge part of who I am. I know my humor is often self-deprecating, hyperbolic at times and sometimes mildly sarcastic. I know it, and there are many people who profess to appreciate and love that about me. Those are the people I need to be hanging with more often.
This past weekend, I found myself sitting in a movie theatre alongside my daughter laughing hysterically (and drooling) at the "boy-toys" in the movie Magic Mike. It was showing at the “cheap seats theatre” and for $2.00, why not? My daughter was long overdue for a fantasy escape and few hours away from the doldrums of marriage and child rearing; ready for some light entertainment. For me, it was time I put to the test whether or not my hormones had all turned themselves into convent dwellers over the past few years. I am happy to report, those hormones not only are still raging on, I had visions of them donning a bustier, fishnets, and 6 inch black stilettos! Oh, I’d heard the reviews from friends. Bad language, lots of drug use, and the worst acting, ever.... They were right. But, I didn’t go expecting a spiritual experience or to be awed by an Academy Award worthy performance. I went to be entertained: ogle and be awed by the spectacular physiques on some really, really beautiful men. I went to fantasize and howl uproariously at the raunchy humor. Laugh, I did. A lot.
Just that one mega-dose of laughter kicked those happy little endorphins into gear and made for an entire week of friendly banter with old friends (and a few new ones) lots of storytelling and giggles. No serious deep-thinking permitted unless its accompanied by a good joke. The laughter numbed most of my worry and projections as well as any grumpy energy emitted by others that did drag themselves into my path.
When I looked in the mirror, I noticed too, my face has frozen somewhat into this perpetual grin. It’s like an instant face lift. The little lines around my lips got stretched out and are barely visible. My neck tightens naturally and I feel pretty, and sexy and vibrant. It appears laughter is a poor man's plastic surgery job and an aphrodisiac too.
By Friday night after sharing some banter and self-deprecating humor with a great, funny friend, both of us laughing so hard our jaws hurt, I really understood how much better life on the rocks can be with a big twist of humor. I’m still working on my timing. My reward for being funny; He sprayed himself and the arm of my sweater (accidentally) with a thunderous guffaw after a way too big gulp of water. That made me laugh even harder. By evening's end, I looked like a raccoon, mascara tears trickling down my cheeks from extended periods of funny bone tickling.
It’s my goal to keep my body “pill free” for as long as possible. The answer to my cholesterol issue has been diet and exercise. The answer to lethargy, worry, and depression, I'm convinced, is laughter; the best medicine. No three week wait for it to kick in, the only real danger is I could get addicted to humor and happiness. I think we could virtually bankrupt the pharmaceutical companies if we sought the cure in taking life a lot less seriously, looked for the humor in most everything, and learned how to laugh, especially at ourselves?
WooHoo to laughter! Oh, and it's really good for the abdominal muscles too! Woohoo!
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