December 9, 2011

Wipeout: The Gift of Togetherness

Laughing and being together. It's what the holidays are all about. Last night, my middle daughter and I walked in around 8pm, finally done with swim practice and a week's worth of commitments. Then what to my wondering eyes should appear, but my other two daughters and husband watching Wipeout episodes and laughing hysterically.

Luckily for us, it was a marathon. We sat for two episodes and laughed and enjoyed each other. The Christmas tree was shining in the corner. It seemed silly to be bonding over people falling down and smashing into things. But it was bonding nonetheless.

In July, I posted about laughter being the best medicine. I'm re-running it today in the spirit of Christmas and bonding.

*****

Laughter is often the best medicine, and it fills my tub. In our "The Balancing Act" interview, host Danielle Knox asked why we incorporated so much humor in our book. If you haven't seen our interview yet, you can follow the link on the left side of our blog.

My answer:
Humor is a gift. My dad gave us many things growing up, but I always say one of his greatest blessings was humor. It's medicinal. Too often we focus on what burdens us, what makes us tired and frustrated, instead of embracing the joy of life. My favorite memories as a kid are laughing ... and that's true now with my husband and three daughters ... sometimes laughter's just the best medicine.

Humor is also a shield and a saving grace. Why do you think parents tickle kids when they are sad? Why are comedians often from tragic upbringings? When one of my kids comes home sad or hurt, one of the first things we will do is put on music and dance. Maybe we would all benefit from a good dance class, because we usually end up laughing. A plate of warm chocolate chips cookies goes a long way, too.

I rarely tell a poignant story without throwing in some humor (often sarcasm and wit are my tools). Sadness without laughter is empty and painful. We all have sad moments in our lives, but dwelling on the pain will bring nothing. The ability to laugh at yourself and with others is a treasure. If a writer can make me laugh for one page, I can better endure and appreciate one hundred pages of sadness and misfortune.
This quote says it well:
"A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life." Hugh Sidey
Check out our humor by visiting these past posts:
For fun, here's a video of my youngest, Maddie (now 6), and her first taste of baby food. This always makes me laugh:

9 comments:

bridgetstraub.com said...

I could not agree more! Without laughter we are sunk!

Larissa T. said...

Haha I love that clip! And also your post on laughter. I couldn't have said it better myself. It's so important! Thank you for sharing!

Carolina HeartStrings said...

I find not only is it medicine but it has become a bonding device between me and my teenage daughter. We seem to get closer the more times we can have a good laugh at something. This time of year it's an extra good stress release too!

bookworm said...

A childhood friend called me this afternoon to let me know she has been diagnosed with cancer. When she fought a different cancer 30 years ago she did it with a wonderful attitude and black humor. Today, we spent some of the phone call - laughing! A stress release? Yes! Medicine? Yes! I needed to smile tonight - thank you for sharing.

Tia Bach said...

Thanks everyone for stopping by. Humor is a gift, and I'm truly thankful my family taught it to me so I can pass it on to my daughters. Nothing gets me down quicker than a day that's all serious and little to no laughter.

@Carolina Heartstrings. I have 3 daughters, one approaching teenagerdom, so I get it.

@Alana, Sending thoughts and prayers to you and your friend wrapped in smiles and laughter. Hugs.

Unknown said...

I'll take those bonding moments whenever and however they come, Tia. They are the moments to remember, and the ones that become so fleeting when our children leave the nest. Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

My parents gave me laughter. That's the most valuable part of my inheritance.

Indian Fashion said...

amazing video !

Tia Bach said...

I'm trying to laugh and hold tight to memories, knowing my girls are getting bigger by the second.

Hope everyone enjoys special moments this holiday season!