A Word for the Day: Laughter

A little more scribbling on the Word for the Day. To revamp: my husband worked in construction for many years, and their "word for the day" often kept them sane during the trying jobs. Like when they poured cement in a hospital approach overhang (drive through style), and it suddenly started pouring rain. You can imagine what the men looked like; fresh, watery cement pouring down on them. It was one of those, what else can you do, but laugh moments. This happened during our lean years, but those clothes still went in the trash. Lol, you should have seen them – gray and very stiff. Probably would have destroyed the washer. Sure, I laughed; shouldn’t we all be laughing in this life? Finding humor wherever we can?

Then there were the times when they spent a couple days shoveling, and shoveling, and shoveling… Shoveling dirt is hard work and, like some construction or factory line work, it’s boring, tedious, monotonous. This is when things like a Word for the Day kept them going. Or maybe you do silly things, like dump a shovel load of sand onto the shovel that your buddy just dumped. Practical jokes – within reason, of course (not injurious or time wasting) can alleviate the boredom; but don’t torture the people who don’t do well with practical jokes. Life will be stressful for them, and the whole point is to get rid of the stress.

Once they were installing a crucifix on a church. They were inside the church, up in the spire, trying to bolt it into place, and his boss starting cracking jokes. He had them laughing so hard, they could barely hold the beam in place to attach the cross. Some jobs create laughter, other jobs, you have to create it.

Let’s turn the story line a little. What about those days when it’s been raining for what seems like ages, and you’re an outside kind of person? If you’re thirteen or so years old and your cousin is hanging out with you, you go outside (after you get permission) and you slide in the dirt bike path, that is now – after several days of rain – a mud path. The original Slip & Slide. I can’t remember if I washed those clothes or not. I have a faint recollection that I did, but that they were never the same afterward…but, it was worth the sight of them after they were done sliding. Cry over ruined clothes or laugh and take a picture?

Kids can do it to us all the time: make us laugh when we should be teaching them a serious lesson. One of my sons used to start giggling when he knew he was in trouble. Of course, I would start getting mad at him, because it was an inappropriate moment. He was being scolded, and he was laughing?! Poor kid, I finally realized what was happening – he was nervous and that’s how he handled it. I learned to take it in stride. Most of the time, it was pretty hard not to laugh along with him. And then there was me in church when I was very young. Something inevitably would set me off and I'd start giggling. In church. Probably embarrassed my poor mother horribly in that big old Catholic church, during a time when children were frowned upon when they acted like children. (Well, it was the youngest Catholic church in town, but that's beside the point - TANGENT ALERT!!!) Oh, geez, he got it from me. Maybe I was nervous. LOL.

So, my point, or word, for this week is let’s laugh! Let’s let joy be our pathway – or mud slide. And if you are walking along and you see some people being silly, or a little out of control, or laughing in what seems an inappropriate moment or place, don’t judge them; maybe smile at them instead – look for the positive, enjoy the moment whether it’s yours or not. It could be they are letting off a little steam or stress or, yes, even boredom. Even boredom can be stressful after a time. Let people laugh even if you don’t think it’s an appropriate time for it. It might just be their avenue of sanity. Laughter surely makes life more than bearable, and it definitely makes it so much more worthwhile.

I'll leave you with this anonymous quote (shared by my sister-in-law): "And remember this motto to live by: Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, what a ride!'" You know I'm at least going with the chocolate part! And definitely worn out from living, WOO HOO!!