Recently I was teaching a class. It was an evening class and it was getting late. Inadvertently I mixed up some of my words and began to giggle. Another began to chuckle in the class and the next thing I knew the whole room had erupted into laughter. And I am talking about that good old shoulder shaking, eyes tearing up, rolling in the aisles, splitting one’s sides laughter! This must have gone on at least several minutes.
I looked around at the participants in the class…each in their own unique way expressing their joy. Complete strangers to each other as the class began but here towards the end of the class connecting through their laughter. When I finally caught my breath I remarked loudly, “Wow, we must have all really needed that.” To which came the replies…’yes, it’s been a long day’… ‘yes, and I am so ready for dinner’…’yes, but ready for dinner? it’s past my bedtime”.
Something as simple as laughter…something as natural as laughter…has the power to de-stress, to break down walls, to connect.
Mark Twain wrote, “[Humanity] has unquestionably one really effective weapon—laughter. Power, money, persuasion, supplication, persecution—these can lift at a colossal humbug—push it a little—weaken it a little, century by century, but only laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.” In these days in which we are daily assaulted with news of violence, wars, unrest…a little laughter can go a long way to counteract that which brings us down. Laughter heals. Have you laughed today?
Gerry says:
Funny and educational