The Gift of Laughter: Words of Wisdom from an Extraordinary Gentleman

I'd like to share a story with you about a man who was a profound inspiration in my life... I never even had the pleasure of speaking with him, but the imprint he has left on my heart and life is truly profound.

This gentleman was in his middle seventies when I first had the honor of being in his presence. He was a retired, and much beloved college professor, and was taking part in talking to my Developmental Psychology class about the aging process. He was very frail, and yet he had a heart and spirit which were so infectious that they dominated the room. I remember him telling us, "I have over half a dozen different types of cancer, and I know that laughter is the best medicine, because what can I do except to laugh and go on!" He was actually laughing as he made this statement.

I was profoundly moved by this man's attitude. Despite all the pain he dealt with on a daily basis, he still managed to be happy, and even laugh about it all! "Wow," I thought, "if he can laugh about life, who am I to complain? I should be laughing, too!"

After class, I wanted to speak with him, to thank him for his wisdom, to somehow express the impression he had made on me. But, as so often happens in our busy lives, I got caught up in a discussion with someone else, and by the time it had ended, he was already gone.

I only crossed paths with him on one other occasion... I sang at his church one Sunday about a year later. Again, I didn't take the opportunity to thank him for the vital lesson he stamped on my heart. He went to be with God about a month later, and I've always regretted not taking the time to talk with him. Yet, his words, and the amazing spirit of fun and joy he exuded, have forever stayed with me.

When life gets you down, and you feel too hopeless to go on, try giving yourself a good dose of laughter... even if you can only laugh at how incredibly bad things seem right then, it may be enough to give you a little hope for the future. Like the amazing gentleman of my story said, sometimes we just have to laugh at our situation, and go on in spite of it all. And somehow, some way, that ability to laugh, along with a little faith, will see us through to a new day of promise.