I was just watching a video of a baby laughing. This baby was absolutely cracking up, throwing back his head and laughing hysterically. It made me laugh at the baby and his father who was holding him and laughing just as hard. I couldn’t stop watching it. One aspect that was so interesting was what made this little human laugh so much was his dad putting a pacifier in his mouth and spitting it out! That’s it. The baby thought this was gut-busting hilarious.
Why?
Have you had those moments when the most innocuous things can set you off? For myself, my husband’s reactions to things crack me up. His facial or verbal expressions just set me to laughing. When I laugh really hard I make this weird sort of wheezing sound that seems to make my family start laughing and pretty soon we are literally rolling on the floor laughing. I usually have to make myself stop because my stomach is hurting, but it takes several tries before I can get myself under control.
When a television commercial shows a group of people together there are always the laughing humans. We instinctively know laughing equates a good time. The gorgeous woman is laughing at the handsome man sitting closely in an intimate setting of friends having a meal or a tailgate party.
Yet, I’ve been in a situation where the laughter was at my expense and not fun, at all. The laughter hurt and was a way to make someone look better as they insult something about me.
I’m not one to laugh out loud at comedies. I think it’s because it is designed for that purpose, for laughter at the expense of one of the characters and it’s hard for me to get past that. It is probably the same emotional response that draws me into a good drama – whether a movie, television program or book. I become part of the story, I can feel the emotion of sadness or fear, what ever is the author’s design in writing the tale.
Physically laughter is good for humans. I’ve read many articles that describe the good it does to the human psyche and to human relationships when it encourages camaraderie and companionship. I love being a part of those times.
“What do you call a mushroom that goes in a bar and buys everyone drinks? …a fungi to be with!”
Cheers
-N