It’s Good to Laugh

God created us to express emotions. We feel and express sadness, anger, perplexity, surprise, joy, and humor. My grandmother passed away when I was only seventeen, but I vividly remember her sense of humor. She died of cancer and was often in great pain. I know that from the pain meds she had to take. Even so, it’s not her pain I remember so much, but her laughter. She said to me once, “make sure you laugh everyday because you’ll feel better all over.”

Psychologists and physicians report that the act of laughing reduces stress level hormones, but increases antibody-producing cells which boosts our immune systems. Laughter helps to lower blood pressure and raises our tolerance to pain. It’s also a social mechanism that connects us with others.

I remember years ago I entered an elevator in a high-rise office building. When I stepped inside there were several others. When the elevator would stop on each floor, people would exit or enter. No words were exchanged. No eye contact was made. Suddenly, someone sneezed. “Oh goodness!” a voice said, “I scared myself! How about the rest of you?” Laughter erupted. We all began to chat, a few shared their own sneezing escapades. As people began to leave the elevator the rest of us would call out a cheery, “have a good day,” or “beware the sneeze,” which brought on fresh laughter all over again.

God’s Word tells us in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” We’ve probably all experienced being so down about something, that our physical strength faded and motivation flew out the window. Laughter, by contrast, can provide bursts of energy and raise our motivation levels.

It has even been medically noted that in the womb, a baby kicks more when he or she hears laughter, just as he or she rests when quiet music is played. Imagine that! A human being, even before physically entering the world, responds to bouts of emotion. It has been medically noted that a laughing mother promotes better health for her yet unborn child.

Laughter is fun to do and makes one feel good all over. What a wonderful gift God gave us when He created us with the ability to laugh. So, I wish you a great day, and may you look for and find, something to laugh about.