No, my heart isn't exactly breaking today....but--I have to say that smiling and humor are huge benefits to my mood. I got the following off the helpguide.org website:
Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. In addition to the domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.
One of my most powerful mentors, my grandmother, was a very happy person. She smiled and laughed a lot. She was just so much fun to be around. Everyone loved her. She lived well into her 90's and although her body was broken down at the end, she rarely felt pain. This may be due to the fact that she laughed so much. I'd like to think so, anyway.
One of my friends, while going through an especially difficult time, rented a bunch of funny movies and sat and watched them over and over again, laughing and laughing until he was exhausted. He felt better after that.
This morning, I was referred to a website called mylifeisaverage.com. Its just small posts about funny things that happen to people every day. Some of them are truly hilarious. I laughed a lot. And I feel better--despite the fact that the water to my house is off for the 7th time in 6th months, due to a huge leak in the water main, and the plumber keeps fixing it--and it keeps breaking, and it has cost me a ton of money!!!! All the things I was going to do this morning, such as shower, do laundry, mop the floor, etc. cannot be done because I have NO WATER!!!! So, instead of cry, I'll just read funny things and LAUGH!!!
My great-aunt Evelyn Ballif Woodruff was like her. On the other hand, her sister-in-law, my Granny, Maybelle Rolapp Ballif, was a crabby old lady. I loved both of them to pieces though. I sooooo want to be like Aunt Ev and not Granny, but I wonder how much is chemistry. Aunt Ev had angina and Granny had arthritis, so they were both in pain for their last decades -- but Aunt Ev was _always_ delighted to see you and had ONLY positive things to say -- she'd only talk about herself if you brought it up. I'm not sure I will be able to manage this!
ReplyDelete