Today’s Theme: Do We Laugh Enough?

Sometimes I wonder where all the laughter has gone. It’s not that we’ve become too serious; rather, it seems we have become to cynical or is it blasé? And did the subtle changes happen a long time ago…

Let me explain with some selected examples:
In high school there was one guy at Woodstock Collegiate that had the most infectious laugh: Gerald Blair, a young black kid who brought smiles at least to everyone else when he would start to laugh. I moved away before I could really get to know him. At MHS hardly anyone really laughed – some would start to chuckle at Bill Roscoe’s puns; maybe Dwight Binch would really laugh when he thought some antic by a teacher was funny; and there was this one girl who could laugh hysterically and that would create a chain reaction – usually it started when she would try to tell a joke, because she always told the punch line first…

Now you know that I was in college longer than I was in the public school systems so you would think that I came across a great many laughers. Well not so much: at the the UofT other than Jack Fatham and maybe Rory MacDonald I can think of very few who even giggled! At the UofA where I spent the majority of my time there were a few more: Don Sorochan could start laughing before he even finished a story; definitely Owen Anderson who often got us laughing too when he would tell a story related to something we were supposed to be taking seriously; Diane Whinny (my best EA) could break into laughter when I said something rather inane; sometimes my doctoral office mate, Keith Sullivan would begin to laugh when we would talk about a class we had just sat through and neither of us were sure what the point of it all was. At U of Minnesota only Pat Klick ever broke into hearty laughter and that usually was at a coffee break when someone would mention something dumb a prof had said.

In my World of Work there were a few seriously funny people: Jackie Grice (Trimac) had a laugh that would soon have others laughing in response; Suz (SEP) enjoyed a joke more than any one I knew and her laugh was always gentle, probably so no one was offended; Theresa (GIS) had a laugh developed I’m sure in Kentucky and like Don (above) could start laughing before the story she was telling was actually finished; Karen (CUE) was just plain funny at times, again when telling stories, and by the second one we all were in hysterics. When I think back there were others, now deceased whose laughter was special – Barb (INAC), Cec (FOS), Jerry (especially on a golf course), David (on his ranch) and Rich (when reflecting on a story). But considering how long I have been working, there should have been many more…

In my family there is first & foremost my Mother: when she started to laugh it was likely she would have tears rolling down her cheeks before she ever quit; moreover, her laughter usually led to the everyone else laughing, in part as a response to her laughter, more than the joke or situation. If my Dad was with either or both of his two brothers – well look out, soon the room would be filled with all kinds of laughter and often no one else could fully appreciate the joke but we could enjoy the moment. The only other relative that really could laugh was my Uncle Jack and his was from deep within – often at his own expense. Upon reflection I should add Uncle Norm, who from his days as a trucker had a million funny stories, some of which were only funny because of how he would start laughing when he was telling them! By the way, both my kids can laugh when they want to – I just wish I heard them more often!!

But think about this: am I in such a solitary world that I am missing out on incredible laughter? I don’t think so. I seldom hear laughter on the news (occasionally a weather person will create some laughter, but the one I know best almost seems to apologize afterwards). Few people tell good jokes anymore at the start of their speeches. Seldom do I hear a minister tell a truly funny story in the midst of a sermon. Granted in my limited circle of friends there are a few very good laugh-inducing people – a couple are (or were) senior public servants (& both are women), another guy is a lawyer, two more are former grad students… Still there should be many more. Each day we should be convulsed at some point in laughter. If only to maintain positive health and happiness we should be laughing as often as possible. Rotarians have to have at least one joke told at each weekly meeting. This should be mandatory for every group or neighbourhood we are part of – not just enough to generate a smile, but rather to get us almost shaking or like my mother, inducing tears of joy. Seriousness has its place but we need more laughter.

Let me leave you with this thought: what if every time a politician was to say something a little out there the newscaster was to break into gales of laughter? (E.G. Trump makes a statement – the next comment by the newsperson is simply hearty laughs; the local mayor says she is sorry to raise taxes – the next moment, a person is interviewed on the street and does nothing but laugh themselves silly; a professional athlete apologizes for some stupid comment made, and a few fans are shown laughing uproariously…) Let’s try it – maybe just in our homes first, then as we are walking/running through our neighbourhood, and as we get more comfortable with the thought, then wherever we are. Let’s start a laughter revolution…

In reflection,
g.w.