I love to laugh, don't you? I love a good knee slapping joke or a funny story that is so funny it makes my sides hurt. I find I have more energy and experience less stress when I laugh. Plato once remarked that "Even the gods love jokes."
In the Koran, it states that "He deserves Paradise who makes his companions laugh." When I am around people who laugh and/or make me laugh, I want to stay and be with them. This is a bit like paradise. Small children have contagious laughs, and can 'bust a gut' as we say in West Texas at the smallest of things; a burp, a fart, a slip of the tongue. They have a knack of laughing at themselves until we teach them those powerful words-"That's not FUNNY!"
I think we do ourselves and our children a disservice when we squelch their laughter. Maybe we ought to laugh with them and lighten up a bit. The health benefits are staggering.
When we laugh we:
- Boosts immunity
- Lower stress hormones
- Decrease pain
- Relax our muscles
- Prevent heart disease
Laughter also has a multitude of mental health benefits:
- Adds joy and zest to life
- Eases anxiety and fear
- Relieves stress
- Improves mood
- Enhances resilience
Along with physical and mental health benefits, laughter also has social benefits:
- Strengthens relationships
- Attracts others to us
- Enhances teamwork
- Helps defuse conflict
- Promotes group bonding
With all of these benefits, I encourage you to make laughter a required part of your day.
Don't wait for the government to mandate this one. Create your own Paradise and just lighten up and laugh.
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