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Monday Thought: Humor

Mary and I have been attending the
East Shore Unitarian Universalist Church
in the Cleveland area for the past month.
It has been a wonderful learning experience
for both of us.

The minister, Reverend Nicole Kirk, gave a
fabulous sermon on the topic of "humor"
yesterday. She described how humor often presents
situations that we expect to be one thing and
how they turn out to be something quite
different. Isn't that the truth?

Rev. Kirk also said that laughter reduces
our pain. She described how her dying mother-in-
law used laughter to reduce her pain and other's
pain as she struggled during the final stages of
her life. She described how humor often helps
us deal with the difficulties we encounter in life.
This reminded me that while I had some painful
times as a child growing up, there were also
many times when we laughed as a family.

One other point really struck me, which is that
you need not be the person telling the jokes
all the time. The world also needs those who
appreciate humor, and reward it with their
laughter. What a beautiful thought!

I drew an additional point from the sermon,
which is that humor and laughter should be a
much larger part of my spiritual journey
through life. I need to laugh at myself, and
I need to be a source of laughter for others.
Yes, I've posted a few jokes on this website
in the past, but I need to do more with the
"clown within" that has always been a part of
me that others have enjoyed.

So, my charge to myself and you today is to
find humor in this day, and laugh heartedly
at this humor. Share your smile with others
today.

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