Today I was in a mood for some not so serious but still fulfilling words. I found this great talk by Brad Wilcox reminding us that humor can help and heal. I was thinking about all the times when humor has done those things for me, When Russ was hurt so badly a few years ago, one of the things that kept us all calm was his humor. We would cry then we would laugh. That laughter strengthened us and our helped our hearts to deal the ensuing trauma of it all. Another memory about humor happened just last week.
I've been feeling very much concern as a mother for my children and my relationship with them. While Russ was out helping his parents I was at home with the kids. They where eating dinner and I was making a puree to freeze and use in a recipe later. While blending the food I opened the lid and dropped the spoon on accident into the blender. Food shot out covering my entire face in green puree, the ceiling, the counter top, even the floor had what could only be described as messy green glop everywhere. At the moment I remember thinking do I swear or do I laugh? The kids stared unsure what to do for fear, I am sure, of laughing and me getting mad. When I started laughing they started laughing and I felt my heart rush with the healing power of humor. I challenge you this week to look at a situation that is bringing you much concern and see if you can find something to laugh about to help you get through it. I fyou have a humours expericen you would like to share please do.
Smile big!
Shauntell
Brad Wilcox
This address was given at the 2001 Family Expo Conference
© 2001 by Brigham Young University,
Division of Continuing Education
All rights reserved.
For further information write:
BYU Family Expo,
136 Harman Continuing Education Building,
Provo, Utah 84602.
(801) 422-3559
E-mail: conferences@byu.edu
Home page: http://familyexpo.byu.edu
Some time ago I was a passenger on an airplane that was coming in for a landing. As we neared the airport, the other passengers and I started to realize that we were traveling much faster than normal. I could feel the anxiety level in the plane start to rise. Suddenly, the airplane hit the ground with great force and then began taxiing down the runway. Shaken, we passengers sat in stunned silence until the captain's voice came over the sound system: “Take that, you bad, bad runway!” We all erupted in laughter. With a humorous viewpoint and a shared laugh, an uncomfortable situation had become bearable.
Humor helps. Humor heals. In fact, many medical studies have linked laughter with better physical and mental health. Such studies confirm the scripture that states, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" (Prov. 17:22). Humor allows us to view our lives in a more positive light, deal with personal conflicts and intolerance, and cope with trials and frustrations that might otherwise seem overwhelming. As we are told in Ecclesiastes, there is “a time to laugh” (Eccl. 3:4).
Humor Can Improve Our Perspective
We can’t always choose what we look at, but we can choose what we see. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them—guileless and pure, quick to laugh.” We are all going to find ourselves in situations we have not anticipated and are not sure how to handle. If we laugh, we may find that at least some of the handling takes care of itself.
After the Austin family had finished shopping for groceries, young Eli Austin was playing with the grocery cart and tipped the cart too far back: Eli, cart, and groceries crashed in an ungraceful heap in the middle of the parking lot. Did a lecture, sarcasm, or grounding follow? Eli said, “Most dads would get mad, but my dad just stood there for a minute and then started laughing
his head off.” Brother Austin knew the value of looking on the bright side, for anger doesn't repair smashed eggs and tomatoes.
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