When life is tough, that’s when you have to see the ridiculous side of it.
Two of my friends shared with me that they had a potentially serious medical issue. I of course was concerned but there wasn’t much I could do to help them. They were too proud to accept a financial gift, and so I realized that the most that I could do was lift their spirits. I made both of them laugh and I felt good that I could make a positive difference in their lives.
One friend said that after laughing she didn’t feel the pain she was feeling. The other friend was more quiet and we only spoke on text. He deals with things in his way and I respect that. You have to give people space to exist and to find their way.
Why am I sharing this with you? For most of my life, I have been able to make others laugh. Life is pretty silly and when you verbalize that you help people see the perspective that humor can bring. Plus it is fun to tease and be silly and humor is a fun way to do that. I shared in an earlier article about how to do humor at work and some of my coworkers have thanked me for making their work day more pleasant.
If you can make others laugh then by all means, do so. It may seem like nothing to you, but it can reduce pain, increase the perspectives of others, and have wider impacts than we realize.