Though I am not very good with sms or chat language, the frequently used abbreviations - But ever since I learnt what lol stands for, I have made the maximum use of it wherever possible. The obvious is true - I love laughing out loud. To be honest, I just can't laugh at a tolerable volume.
The repercussions of a hearty laughter that makes my stomach muscles ache, my eyes tear, and my facial muscles twitch is far more than temporary. Every part of my existence resonates with positive energy. The memory of the laughter stays with me for years. Though it is sometimes rude or inconsiderate for people in my vicinity (I mean, the volume of a loud laughter), but eventually everyone gets wrapped into laughter - that at least is far better than mindless chatter, cribbing sessions, fruitless gossip among others.
We have all heard and learnt quotes like ‘Laughter is the best medicine’ but only a handful of people have really applied this art in their own lies.
Pardon me for my cynicism about the urban razzmatazz but I have always felt that pure play humour is somewhere missing from the otherwise prosperous lives of city dwellers. More often, a smile for a greeting is an indication of being well-mannered than being pleased to meet the person. Whenever we press the ‘smile’ button in our brain, the mouth increases aperture and the lips separate. We are so adept at it that sometimes we don’t realize how mechanically we are doing it.
I don’t know the ‘anatomical’ reasons behind laughter, rather never wanted to know as I fear that might make the process more mechanical. I leave this exercise purely to my right brain, when I feel like laughing. Nevertheless I know that it energizes me, it sends some electrifying signals all across my body, it makes me float above the present, it makes me come over the frivolous worries that my mind might be otherwise pre-occupied with. It helps me overcome any prejudices that I might have held against the person that I am in company of. Even if it tires me, I have a good night’s sleep. Even if it is mindless or trivial or wastage of time, it is worth it!
In my younger days, I loved to tickle people into laughter. Once I had to deploy the trick to the best player in the opponent team in a basket ball match. While she was annoyed at that moment in time, she remembers me only for the laughter we shared after the match.
On another occasion, I broke into peals of laughter while walking down the memory lane in a crowded street in Mumbai. An old gentleman actually stopped me and indicated that I must join the nearby ‘laughter therapy’ classes that were on at a park that he showed me. He couldn’t believe that I was laughing so loudly by myself.
As one grows older, we are conditioned to behave appropriately. While that’s a social norm we must follow, I have begun to experience that it subtly takes away your natural instincts by suppressing them over a long period of time. So much so, that a smile gets notified as a ‘smirk’ and laughter is interpreted as being more derisive than enlivening.
95% of average jokes are popularly known as PJs (poor jokes) and a handful which still continues to entertain are complemented as ‘good ones’. Sometimes we forget that sense of humour like all other senses are subjective and are based on one’s background, culture, thought process, maturity, linguistic abilities and many other factors. So what appears amusing to me might be a note of sarcasm for someone else. That’s perfectly fine – We should not or need not cross the territory to find pleasure in what someone else does or, to laugh at someone/ something just because the situation demands it. We should not get intimidated by someone else’s reactions on humour.
What is important is to laugh heartily. Even if we reserve 80% of our jokes for diplomatic relationships and trained social behavior, we should allow our jugular vein to get pumped with oxygen at least few times in a week, else there’s likelihood that we will be mentally unfit, though socially it might not be deemed so.
The greatest comedians in the world have taken hours of efforts to make people laugh – Humour doesn’t come easy. So people who are blessed with the art of making people laugh should rather work on honing their skills – there are not too many such people in this world.
Humour is also a function of relationships. A joke that makes for an enjoyable recipe amongst two friends might not be worth the while amongst another pair of people. It is important to be sensitive to the fact that the humour should reduce our stress and not add to it. No laughter can be a good medicine if it upsets someone. I am sure there will be ways to find out what can be the most delightful embellishments for the moments in question. A laughter with a clear conscience is often the right indicator and usually not misleading.
Another school of thought suggests that laughter comes naturally only when you are yourself, only then will it consume you and generate the desired positive effects. In such a scenario, it is important that we cherish this moment only with select people who know us well. Otherwise we again run into the risk of either a contained/ restrictive/ planned laughter or rubbing off someone the wrong way, both of which completely defeat the purpose.
It is also important to learn to laugh at one own self. If shame holds us back, we could do that privately but unless we do that we would never learn to respect ourselves and others. It also ushers in a sense of peace with ourselves; it makes us accept blithely what we are and what we stand for.
At any given point in time, if we reflect back on yester years, we are reminded of the moments when laughter and mirth surrounded us despite moments of anxiety or ill-will. That forever boosts our energy levels and our desire to relive those moments gets triggered.
At a personal level, it helps spread love, peace and friendship. At a professional level, it helps build teams, enhance productivity and reduce stress levels.
“If every word I said could make you laugh, then I’d love to talk forever…”
The repercussions of a hearty laughter that makes my stomach muscles ache, my eyes tear, and my facial muscles twitch is far more than temporary. Every part of my existence resonates with positive energy. The memory of the laughter stays with me for years. Though it is sometimes rude or inconsiderate for people in my vicinity (I mean, the volume of a loud laughter), but eventually everyone gets wrapped into laughter - that at least is far better than mindless chatter, cribbing sessions, fruitless gossip among others.
We have all heard and learnt quotes like ‘Laughter is the best medicine’ but only a handful of people have really applied this art in their own lies.
Pardon me for my cynicism about the urban razzmatazz but I have always felt that pure play humour is somewhere missing from the otherwise prosperous lives of city dwellers. More often, a smile for a greeting is an indication of being well-mannered than being pleased to meet the person. Whenever we press the ‘smile’ button in our brain, the mouth increases aperture and the lips separate. We are so adept at it that sometimes we don’t realize how mechanically we are doing it.
I don’t know the ‘anatomical’ reasons behind laughter, rather never wanted to know as I fear that might make the process more mechanical. I leave this exercise purely to my right brain, when I feel like laughing. Nevertheless I know that it energizes me, it sends some electrifying signals all across my body, it makes me float above the present, it makes me come over the frivolous worries that my mind might be otherwise pre-occupied with. It helps me overcome any prejudices that I might have held against the person that I am in company of. Even if it tires me, I have a good night’s sleep. Even if it is mindless or trivial or wastage of time, it is worth it!
In my younger days, I loved to tickle people into laughter. Once I had to deploy the trick to the best player in the opponent team in a basket ball match. While she was annoyed at that moment in time, she remembers me only for the laughter we shared after the match.
On another occasion, I broke into peals of laughter while walking down the memory lane in a crowded street in Mumbai. An old gentleman actually stopped me and indicated that I must join the nearby ‘laughter therapy’ classes that were on at a park that he showed me. He couldn’t believe that I was laughing so loudly by myself.
As one grows older, we are conditioned to behave appropriately. While that’s a social norm we must follow, I have begun to experience that it subtly takes away your natural instincts by suppressing them over a long period of time. So much so, that a smile gets notified as a ‘smirk’ and laughter is interpreted as being more derisive than enlivening.
95% of average jokes are popularly known as PJs (poor jokes) and a handful which still continues to entertain are complemented as ‘good ones’. Sometimes we forget that sense of humour like all other senses are subjective and are based on one’s background, culture, thought process, maturity, linguistic abilities and many other factors. So what appears amusing to me might be a note of sarcasm for someone else. That’s perfectly fine – We should not or need not cross the territory to find pleasure in what someone else does or, to laugh at someone/ something just because the situation demands it. We should not get intimidated by someone else’s reactions on humour.
What is important is to laugh heartily. Even if we reserve 80% of our jokes for diplomatic relationships and trained social behavior, we should allow our jugular vein to get pumped with oxygen at least few times in a week, else there’s likelihood that we will be mentally unfit, though socially it might not be deemed so.
The greatest comedians in the world have taken hours of efforts to make people laugh – Humour doesn’t come easy. So people who are blessed with the art of making people laugh should rather work on honing their skills – there are not too many such people in this world.
Humour is also a function of relationships. A joke that makes for an enjoyable recipe amongst two friends might not be worth the while amongst another pair of people. It is important to be sensitive to the fact that the humour should reduce our stress and not add to it. No laughter can be a good medicine if it upsets someone. I am sure there will be ways to find out what can be the most delightful embellishments for the moments in question. A laughter with a clear conscience is often the right indicator and usually not misleading.
Another school of thought suggests that laughter comes naturally only when you are yourself, only then will it consume you and generate the desired positive effects. In such a scenario, it is important that we cherish this moment only with select people who know us well. Otherwise we again run into the risk of either a contained/ restrictive/ planned laughter or rubbing off someone the wrong way, both of which completely defeat the purpose.
It is also important to learn to laugh at one own self. If shame holds us back, we could do that privately but unless we do that we would never learn to respect ourselves and others. It also ushers in a sense of peace with ourselves; it makes us accept blithely what we are and what we stand for.
At any given point in time, if we reflect back on yester years, we are reminded of the moments when laughter and mirth surrounded us despite moments of anxiety or ill-will. That forever boosts our energy levels and our desire to relive those moments gets triggered.
At a personal level, it helps spread love, peace and friendship. At a professional level, it helps build teams, enhance productivity and reduce stress levels.
“If every word I said could make you laugh, then I’d love to talk forever…”
1 comment:
Awesome, reading this, all it reminds me is your hearty laughter. I could not agree any less with you on this, lol -definitely rejuvenates you and the energy is so instant and refreshing, nothing can beat that.It reminds me of the school days when some friends would say on a light note, that it would be difficult for us to lose weight as we laugh out so often and so heartily, that a litre or two of blood would be incremented regularly!!
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