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Guest Column

Share a laugh today

By JACK BRAY
Published November 8, 2006

That's not meant to dismiss or disregard the bad news. No, it's meant to help us maintain our sanity during these trying times. If it isn't the death of another one of our soldiers in Iraq, it's national and local murder or mayhem all over TV, radio, newspapers and even the Internet.

And, of course, everybody has some complaint, no matter where you meet them. Why they call it "happy hour" escapes me. Holy 2 for 1! It should be called the "Moaning Minutes." Somebody is always nitpicking something or criticizing someone (especially if that someone is not there).

Recently, I found myself comparing notes with friends about medications we take. Yikes! And this scintillating conversation was taking place while we were shooting pool.

So, how do we lighten up? We can start by looking at the bright side of everything. I may sound like a Pollyanna, but think about it. Rather than criticizing some TV shows (easy to do since so many are awful), share a funny moment from an episode (See: Seinfeld reruns).

Instead of telling everyone you meet about your visit to your doctor, tell them a funny thing that happened when you were there.

Whenever I go to the doctor, I strike up a conversation with someone in the reception room by offering a funny thought. You'd be amazed at the response. (See, right now, dear reader, you probably have a clever comment.)

At my last appointment, I pointed to the full skeleton hanging in my doctor's office and said, "Boy, that guy must have waited quite a while!" Ba-da-boom.

There are, of course, the jokes we get in our e-mail from friends. We should print them out and share them with people in waiting rooms or at those "happy hours." I have a friend who brings them to our local gathering place. Good for him. However, I was once criticized for bringing some cartoons that someone thought were offensive. Talk about needing to lighten up.

Laughter. Too rare these days. "The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter," said Mark Twain.

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter," wrote E.E. Cummings.

"You cannot be mad at someone who makes you laugh," cracked Jay Leno on The Tonight Show.

And from the Koran, which has been getting bad press lately, "He deserves Paradise who makes his companions laugh."

Make someone laugh today.

Jack Bray is a retired broadcast executive who lives in Dunedin.

[Last modified November 8, 2006, 07:20:59]