Sometimes, we need to lighten up and chuckle at ourselves. The scripture says: A cheerful heart is good medicine. Being up when times are down makes you feel better & your outlook brighter. It also frightens the competition. They think you are crazy. 🙂

     Comic Relief can be a powerful way to deal with difficult circumstances in our lives. In the late 90’s; I lost my wife of 20 years, my father, a business I personally owned and a growing company I started. I had to face the loss of everything, I had worked my whole career to earn. Yet, my point for mentioning this is not melodrama. Rather it is to show how humor helped me, through this very difficult season. Here’s how:

     During those incredibly rough days, I kept a Ray Stevens tape in the car and listened to it very, very often. That guy can make a rock laugh! Often I did not know whether the tears were from laughter or just dealing with what I had to go through. Either way, it is certain that the regular dose of laughter in spite of the pain helped me deal with things.  It helped me see there was still something to smile about in this world and to find a reason to look beyond my circumstances, for happiness.

     I have kept the value of this lesson in my daily life today. Whenever things get crazy and strained, I often pause for a moment and just laugh. I know deep within that somehow things will be alright. Even if they are not all-right; the will be alright…… There can be joy, even in the midst of pain. And somehow finding this treasure can be just the gem you need:  …………. to see a rainbow, even on a dark day.

     Are you going through a difficult season? If so, don’t dwell continually on your problems. You can drive yourself crazy looking for the solution. Lighten up a little. Rent a funny movie. Listen to a funny song (over & over if you have to).  Give yourself permission to look outside your circumstances for joy and happiness.  When you learn to laugh a little, even in the midst of strain; you have found a deeper strength. A sense of mirth can be a God given friend that can help you through “tough times.” Sometimes winning is just making it to tomorrow with a smile on your face. Sometimes winning is just going to bed and hoping for a better day.

     Robert Shuler said: “Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.” Hmmm. Even if the problems do last; you can outlast your problems if you remember that sometimes the best cure is a good laugh. Make a list of things you think are funny; so that you can refer back to them on a dismal day.

     Carry on a a joke with a friend. Go to a comedy night club. Surf YouTube for funny videos. Heck, tickle yourself if you have to.. but don’t forget that to live a lot; you have to laugh a little.

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Joke:   Sometimes you should know what you are doing first!

It was at the end of the school year, and a kindergarten teacher was receiving gifts from her pupils. The florist’s son handed her a gift. She shook it, held it overhead, and said, “I bet I know what it is. Some flowers.” “That’s right” the boy said, “but how did you know?” “Oh, just a wild guess,” she said. 

The next pupil was the candy shop owner’s daughter. The teacher held her gift overhead, shook it, and said, “I bet I can guess what it is. A box of sweets.” “That’s right, but how did you know?” asked the girl. “Oh, just a wild guess,” said the teacher. 

The next gift was from the son of the liquor store owner. The teacher held the package overhead, but it was leaking. She touched a drop of the leakage with her finger and touched it to her tongue. “Is it wine?” she asked. “No,” the boy replied, with some excitement. 

The teacher repeated the process, taking a larger drop of the leakage to her tongue. “Is it champagne?” she asked. “No,” the boy replied, with more excitement. The teacher took one more taste before declaring, “I give up, what is it?” With great glee, the boy replied, “It’s a puppy!”

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