Laugh Lines

Memorize a joke or two and use it as salve on somebody who is hurting.

Photo by Marija Zaric on Unsplash

What do you call a deer with no eyes?

No-eye deer (as in “I have no idear”).

You sort of need to shrug your shoulders and tilt your head sideways when you deliver the punch line for the other person to get the joke, but once it sinks it, most people laugh hysterically.

I told it to one of my sisters years ago and she texted it to her boyfriend, who, I’m told, nearly lost it during the middle of a business meeting when he read the text.

That’s the magic of a good joke.

More than a decade ago, I had this exchange via text with a friend:

Friend: Hulk Hogan turns 59 today. What you gonna do when hulkamania runs wild on you?

Me: I am gonna rip off my shirt, body slam him and then give him the ole’ leg drop for the 1-2-3! Or … I’ll just stay inside and enjoy the AC. Haven’t decided yet.

Friend: Early results in the polling I have conducted has AC in the lead.

It was my turn to laugh.

Not long after that, I saw something that was so funny I had to put it on Facebook: “Not a good sign when you pull up to an ATM & the person in front of you is standing next to her car, smacking herself in the forehead.”

One of my cousins who lives in Florida saw it and said, “LOL! I’ve had a rough day at work, and I work for a credit union, but regardless, this is just a perfect picture in my mind! Thanks for the laugh!!”

I don’t have a great sense of humor, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to develop it. Laughter eases tension and it can make a bad day seem like not such a bad day.

Memorize a joke or two and use it as salve on somebody who is hurting. You might not have all the answers he or she needs, but your joke might lead to laughter, and laughter leads to a joyful heart, and a joyful heart is medicine for the soul.