Laughter is good medicine

So many people today just don't know how to laugh .. at themselves. Oh we can laugh at others and their shortcomings, failures, faults, "sins", wrong doing, etc. But how many can look at "themselves" and laugh. I am not speaking of a Put-Down on yourself. I'm talking about being able to look at something that happen due to your own action or words, maybe something you can't control, and see the funny side.

I think the best people who do this are the ones who truly have a handi-cap or shortcoming that somehow they might not have complete control over. Something in their life that could get them on the down side ... but somehow they push up and get on the top side. They choose to look at the problem and make it equal laughter.

Let me give you an example and I hope this makes you get that deep belly roar that just bubbles over.

Most people who have been around me .. ah .. long enough for me to say a couple complete sentences . will notice that I sorta don't speak correctly. I seem to have an issue with getting words out. You might call it stuttering if you want to term it correctly. Now when I first get to know you and talk to you, you notice it. But as I become your friend and gain a trust and get on comfortable ground either I don't stutter as much .. or you don't notice as much.

This issue has caused me some .. can I say FEAR in my life. Especially in school. High School more than Grade School. Seems when we get older with our peers, our weakness make others superior, so our weakness is expounded on in order to make them feel more superior. In High School it was simply horrible especially with the guys. The worse was Fear of being called on in class to answer a quesiton.

Why, I could be talking one on one with someone and be ok, but the moment I was called upon in front of others to talk forget it. Impossible. I used to beg my classmates to take my turn when answering questions going desk by desk. Some of my classmates would do it and allow me to be passed over but there were always a couple classsmates who would not allow me that priviledge of passover for nothing and make me do my part.

Anyhow what I wanted to share was something that happened long after I was out of school. By this time I had managed to handle my issue quite well and still fought the fear but did much better in normal life situations.

My baby sister Denise and I had gone to dinner with girlfriend Lori whom I shared a house with at the time in Va Beach. Lori was and still is your prim and proper christian young lady and that made it even more hilarious when it was all over and done. And I do not say that to discredit her .. it is only that she never would have done this to anyone in her life.

The Waitress had come and taken our orders and asked each of us what we wanted to drink. Lori said her's - and then Denise gave her's - and I was working up to this "question" ( remember..I am fine until I am asked a question ). When she came to me and asked me I thought I was ready. I begin to say "I would like UnSweeten Tea" .. but it came out " I would like some Un-un-un-Sweeten Tea" .. whew. It was out and I only fumbled on one word and felt pretty good with it.

So we sat there chatting and waiting for our food the Waitress came with our drinks. She asked Lori and Denise what they had order and gave them theirs. And then she looked at me and "slapped" me on my arm and said "I remember what you wanted. You made a BIG DEAL about it. You want UN-un-un Sweeten Tea". And the Waitress was serious as serious can be and sat my drink down without any hesitation. Well, my sister and I looked at each other and no sooner had the Waitress turned away from us, we just burst. We laughted so hard we were crying. Lori, my friend, was horrified. She was ready to jump right up and run to the Manager and complain about the Waitress and her insensitivity. I was "no, no, no, that poor girl has no idea". Denise and I laughed and laughed .. and we laugh to this day when we talk about it. That waitress really thought that I was "stressing" the fact that I did NOT want SWEETEN tea but that I wanted UN (and I repeat) UN (and I repeat one more time) UN-Sweeten Tea and mercy all I was trying to do was get the dang word out.

That might have offended some and caused anger and unforgiveness in someone's heart. But I believe that is also being very self centered. See, that Waitress had no idea who I was and that I had a speech issue. It was not obivious to the naked eye. So I had a choice. I could take it as "she doesn't know me and she has no idea and she should be more sensitive, etc" or I could say .. You know what she has no idea and put myself in her shoes and say "yea, she probably thought 'wow, that lady sure wanted to make sure I got the message she does not want SWEETEN TEA'". That to me is funny. Her thinking that .. and me just trying to get the word out.

I share that with everyone and everyone who knows me laughs till they cry. Because they know me - they know how sometimes I am "stressing" to get a word out and not trying to "stress" the impact of the word itself.

I always loved watching the I LOVE LUCY SHOW. Because she always made fun of herself. It's not like comedy shows today where it is always pointing a finger at someone else and their faults or shortcomings or issues. I hope this might make you view things or issues in your life that you might not have in total control .. and get in the shoes of the outsider and view it .. and just laugh ... at yourself.