A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures.
-An Irish Proverb
High on the list of things I am thankful for is the appreciation of humor my family gave me.
For us, love was communicated most loudly through zingers, ribbing and sarcasm. How did I know when my family considered me an adult? When I stopped getting punished for being a smart-alec, and was simply rewarded with their laughter at my jokes. When have I felt most bonded to my little brother? When an amazing one-liner rolls quickly and easily off his tongue.
Okay, okay. I'll call a point of big-sister privilege. Here's his latest:
You'll need to know upfront that one of the standing family jokes involves my laziness. Also, especially as an adult, going "home" for me means doing the least amount of work possible to keep myself alive.
We were sitting around the dinner table, and I got up to get an item out of my reach...
My grandfather: Bless her heart, she's having to wait on herself.
Bubby: If she's waiting on herself, it'll be a while.
Bahahahaha! I couldn't have been prouder.
But, back on topic. Growing up, my family had a weekly tradition. One night each week, I could count on my mom calling me to the living room with these words: 'Amy! It's time for your medicine!'
Did I drag my feet and slump my shoulders? Did I make excuses or try to get out of it? Of course not. It was one of my favorite times of the week.
Our family would gather around the television and watch Home Improvement. My mom considered it one of the funniest shows on at that time, and she made watching it with us a priority. We were sure to laugh, if not at the episode then at the bloopers that followed.
My mom has always firmly believed that laughter truly is the best medicine, and she made sure we got plenty of it. Though science backs her up very well, she never needed it. And I have definitely inherited her love of laughter.
I have a vivid memory from my tumultuous teenage years when my class was asked what we would choose, if we could pick only one: Intelligence, beauty or strength. I thought, 'Forget those things, I just want to make people laugh.'
I have many hopes for this blog and its impact. But if it results in nothing more than a few laughs, then I have to admit I'm cool with that.
Oh, and sleep? How do I feel about that? Well, how do you think I got my 'lazy' moniker?
