In 2007, I was hit with a serious illness that took me down for four months. To be frank, it was a year before I looked in the mirror and recognized myself again. And I still live with the repercussions of that life-threatening illness.
During my recovery time, friends loaned my husband a DVD and said, “We thought Beth might enjoy watching this.” It was a DVD by comedian Brian Regan titled “I Walked on the Moon.”
As we watched his routine, I laughed for the first time in months. Laughed out loud. And it was a wonderful, life-giving moment.
Some would say that laugh was cheap medicine. I would say that moment of laughter was priceless. Realizing that I could laugh while still needing to recover gave me much-needed hope.
I’m now a huge Brian Regan fan, so much so that my husband and youngest daughter went to see him perform in Denver last summer. Yes, we laughed. But I was also taken back to that first moment Brian Regan’s comedy gave me hope with his humorous form of medicine.
And we don’t have to wait until we’re sick to take a dose of laughter. No, it’s a great preventative, too. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? What about laughter helping us stay healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally?
I say yes.
In Your Words: When has laughter been good medicine for you?
In Others' Words: Cheap Medicinehttp://bit.ly/2MToI6m #quotes #health Click To Tweet 'Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.' Quote by Lord Byron http://bit.ly/2MToI6m #laughter #perspective Click To Tweet
Comments 11
If you can’t laugh at pancreatic cancer, you don’t have a sense of tumour.
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Andrew: I know you face your illness without flinching, but also with a sense of humor. Praying for you.
Years ago I was required to study Byron quite thoroughly. Frankly, in my opinion, that is one of the most true and significant comments credited to him and I had not heard it before–I like it!
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Dee: Why am I not surprised that you’ve studied Byron? And our times together, when we’ve shared laughter are some of my most treasured.
Every Sunday I lead our assembly before we head off to respective classes and I always have something funny to end with. We all leave the room laughing.
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Love this, Pat! 🙂
I grew up on “laughter is the best medicine.” Even during my pessimistic days, I was the one telling my cousins, aunts, grandparents — whoever would listen — that the reason I had such an active giggle-box was because laughter was the best medicine. I don’t know if they ever bought that reason or not, but I sure did.
Beth, I hope you can laugh your way right through those lasting repercussions. 🙂
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Andrea: I pursue laughter. As I’ve said before, laughter is my favorite sound — it’s music. My life is good.
I love this post. Laughter is so healing.
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Kim, I agree. Laughter is healing when you’re dealing with a chronic health issue or dealing with depression. It’s also a good antidote for those daily discouragements.
Like Mel B. says, we all need a “proper belly laugh” sometimes, especially when little else seems to help. Singing at the top of my lungs helps, too (if I’m alone in the house). 🙂 And I may not always comment, but reading your blog posts always speaks to my heart, too.
Hugs!