Yum, Yum…. A Dose of Hearty Laughter
Laughter is good medicine for the body, mind and soul. Proverbs 17:22 says so. And so does modern research which tells us that laughter can reduce the levels of chronic stress, protect our heart, safeguard our nervous system, and rest our endocrine system! Laughter helps clear toxins from organs and circulates oxygen in our bodies.
The movie, “Patch Adams” is based on a doctor who is still practicing medicine today. He prescribes and uses laughter as a healing agent.
I speak to many groups about Laughter and I find that most of us need to be reminded that our families will not remember how clean the house was but they will remember our laugh. We live in a society where we believe the lie that busy people are important. We try to cram 30 hours of living into a 24 -hour day. 90% of doctor visits are stress related. It seems that most of us can benefit from a dose of hearty laughter!
When my kids were very young we started a Mother’s Day tradition. I felt we didn’t need one more holiday where we went out to eat and bought a gift. I announced that Mother’s Day would be our first picnic and hike of the season! We have built many wonderful family memories of Mother’s Day outings! We have had our picnic in the car due to cold and rain; we have explored beautiful waterfalls; and we have had many, MANY laughing episodes!
Laughter seems to bubble up when we are doing something we enjoy. Here are a few ideas to set the stage for some hilarious laughing:
1. What simple activities can you include to stimulate laughter? Try Corn Hole, cards (we like Phase 10), or games (like Apples to Apples).
2. Prepare a meal together and eat outside at a leisurely rate. Start with simple appetizers (chips and salsa) and non-alcoholic “Sangria” - Sprite and grape juice with orange, lemon and lime slices on top. Don’t forget the music!
3. Do an activity together: walk at a local nature preserve, take a hearty hike (we like hiking up creeks and we all eventually get wet), or play a game of “Horse” at the basketball net.
4. And of course, turn up the “Laughter Dial” in your own mind and spirit. Anticipate it and you won’t be disappointed! Let the sparkle in your eye shinethrough.
So whether it’s Mother’s Day, a holiday or an activity you’re planning, be sure to incorporate the laughter. Relationships are oh so much sweeter when we include a loving dose of laughter!
Please share in our COMMENTS section about a time that your family laughed together
Laura Wingfield says:
I love to laugh. I know you can’t do this on Mother’s Day, but let me tell you what I love to do. I love to go to the Beach Water Park and sit at the bottom of the two speed slides. When those two people race down that slide, and hit that water…..well, I’m sorry, you never know what kind of reactions you will get, but they are PRICELESS! I sit for hours, and just CRACK UP! Try it, and ENJOY!