Laughter is the Best Medicine - Retrouvaille

By Fr. Jerry Foley
©Catholic Online 2004

Ask people where the statement "Laughter is the best medicine" comes from and almost always the answer is READER'S DIGEST.

Actually, READER'S DIGEST borrowed this wisdom straight out of the Scriptures. We are learning again how important laughter and play are to health and to relationships.

A CHRISTIAN PARENTING TODAY survey asked: "In addition to growing closer to God, what would make your family even closer than it is today?" Rated first and second were "Spending more time together" and "Adding more laughter to our home."

Studies of healthy families show that they have a good sense of humor and play. Couples need humor as much as they need problem solving techniques.

Boredom is cited as the biggest spiritual ill in America today. Boredom is the enemy of marriage. We live in a culture of negativity. It is culturally unacceptable to be upbeat. Studies show that the level of contentment and satisfaction peaked in the 1950's and has eroded each decade since.

People in troubled marriages usually find it hard to laugh, especially at themselves. They are too caught in their pain to see the lighter side of life. For them, seriousness is the order of the day and they are convinced that anxiety, depression and helplessness are the kinds of feelings they should be experiencing.

The Christian tradition values laughter. The DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL IMAGERY says "If there is a single person within the pages of the Bible that we can consider a humorist, it is without doubt Jesus."

Wit and humor were an integral part of Judaism. But the Desert Fathers, such as Anthony, Augustine, and Benedict condemned laughter as the enemy of the spiritual life. In Puritan times, laughter was considered a mortal sin and even smiling was prohibited.

We have all heard that "He who laughs, lasts." Bob Hope reminded us of this: "I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something tolerable, even hopeful." And Victor Borge added that "The closest distance between two people is a good laugh."

Laughter is healthy spiritually and builds community. It has a way of renewing our soul and restoring our perspective. Humor lets us know its okay to be human.

Laughter produces great emotional strength. Positive emotions affect bodily chemistry positively while negative emotions affect the body negatively. Humor can produce many positive or pleasant emotions, including joy, mirth, hope, confidence and an overall sense of well-being. The bad news is that bad feelings drive out good feelings, but negativity can be unlearned.

Laughter reduces tension and stress. There is a physiological reason for the biblical statement that laughter is the best medicine. It is estimated that 70 to 90 percent of disease and illnesses are strongly associated with stress. Laughter causes remarkable physical relaxation, the reverse of stress, which can kill through hypertension or coronaries.

Laughter tends to decrease the production of adrenaline and cortisone, the stress hormones, and strengthens the ability of the immune system to operate against illnesses from the common cold to cancer. A shot of humor is like a dose of medicine, the effects linger, dissipating gradually over several hours.

Laughter also reduces pain, including physical pain. The brain and pituitary glad contain a class of hormones called endorphins which relieve pain. Dr. Norman Cousins, who used laughter to fight cancer and got well, said: "I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of good belly laughter had an aesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain free sleep."

Joan Erickson, the wife of Eric Erickson, told us the most important ingredient for a happy marriage is a "sense of humor. Without humor, what have you got? Humor is what keeps everything in balance."

Many couples are trapped in day-to-day drudgery. Routine often ruins relationships. It's easy for the small things to be blown out of proportion. Life can be heavy at times, but we don't need to be.

Unhealthy families tend to laugh at one another. Personal shortcomings and belittling are not the kind of humor that is life-giving.

Look for laughter in life. It's all around us. Kids, for example, are often a good source for laughs as they paint themselves with lipstick or laugh at the simplest things. The easiest way to start laughing more is to be around people who laugh easily. Humor is contagious.

We need to learn to laugh at ourselves as well. Ethel Barrymore was right: "You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself. We all give ourselves many good reasons for a laugh." The funniest stories are often the ones we tell on ourselves.

I learned a great lesson from the Native Americans in their Traditional Indian Medicine. Noting that we are "dis-eased" whenever anything is out of balance in our life, they use laughter very effectively. I have found this helpful in the Retrouvaille program for marriages in difficulty. Laughter can get rid of the tensions and create an important bond between spouses.

"Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone."

___________________________

Fr. Jerry Foley works as a priest in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. He currently works in hospice ministry as well as with Retrouvaille and Catholic Engaged Encounter. He is the author of five books, including Courage to Love ... When Your Marriage Hurts available from Ave Maria Press.

Retrouvaille is in most major cities of North America. Information is available by calling 1-800-470-2230 or on the web site at www.retrouvaille.org

Contact

Retrouvaille
http://www.retrouvaille.org MN, US
Fr. Jerry Foley - Weekend Presenting Priest, 651 232-3301

Email

gkfoley@cs.com

Keywords

Laughter heals relationships

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »