When my gentle, wry-witted father developed Alzheimer\u2019s disease, sometimes laughter was the only way I could cope with his decline. I wrote an editorial about a couple of the incidents I found humorous, encouraging others in grim situations to laugh whenever they could. A reviewer, judging the editorial for a contest, took issue with my advice. \u201cYou can\u2019t expect someone dealing with Alzheimer\u2019s to laugh about it,\u201d the judge counseled. I wondered if she had ever experienced trauma.<\/p>\n
Laughter is my medicine, the best kind, as the saying goes. It\u2019s my answer to stress, to pain, to the blues, and to almost everything else that disrupts my life.<\/p>\n
Laughter bolsters the immune system, increases endorphins that make us feel better, helps people sleep better, and reduces pain. And it\u2019s so much fun!<\/p>\n
My father died in March 1995, and we held his memorial service on April Fool\u2019s Day. One friend bemoaned what she considered unfortunate timing, but remembering the countless April Fool\u2019s Day jokes he played on us through the years, we all knew my dad would have loved it. During the service, my aunt\u2014his sister\u2014regaled us all with tales of their childhood together. When my aunt was born, someone asked my father how he felt about gaining a sister. With all the sincerity a four-year-old can muster, he replied, \u201cI\u2019d druther have a dog.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone in the church laughed at that story. The grief was still there, the pain of missing my father hadn\u2019t disappeared. But it wasn\u2019t so bad precisely because we could laugh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When my gentle, wry-witted father developed Alzheimer\u2019s disease, sometimes laughter was the only way I could cope with his decline. I wrote an editorial about a couple of the incidents I found humorous, encouraging others in grim situations to laugh Continue reading Lighten Up and Lighten the Load<\/span>