You’ve heard it before – a Penny saved is a Penny not going to hell. That’s what Penny told herself anyway. You may remember that old saying differently.
Either way, you might find it almost funny. Or at least enough to bring a smile to your face. Don’t underestimate the importance of that giggle, smirk, or table pounding howl. Whether you’re the joke teller or the receiver, the transformation of wisecracking one liners can literally heal the physical and emotional injuries of another.
To have our minds think about something comical is enough to cause a moment of relief, regardless of how long it lasts. It can quickly wash away the stress and tension that keeps harassing you each day, like a Utah County driver riding your rear while rushing to get curbside pick-up at the local Crumbl.
All that knee smacking, rib tickling, and thigh slapping is actually good for your health (despite the bruising it can cause). You must take care of that funny bone.
The challenge is allowing ourselves time to laugh. You might pencil it in, but between balancing your job, family responsibilities, and adequate fingernail clipping time, you might postpone a good laughing session to another day – much like you do with that leftover fried liver in the back of your refrigerator.
For the love of laughter, don’t put it off. It can literally be the difference between you rolling on the floor laughing out loud or rolling on the floor crying out loud for Life Alert.
You don’t want to end up on some late-night infomercial.
It must be noted that it’s very important to gag someone wisely. In other words, pull someone’s chain responsibly. Don’t go overboard with your jokes or the ways you obtain them. Remember, a cheap joke at someone’s expense isn’t funny.
Funny rich jokes are best.
Go big or go home. When in doubt, dad jokes are an option too. The one about why Peter Pan always flies because he Neverlands is always a well-grounded fail-safe dad joke.
So, as you’re going through your day and you’re feeling like you’re going to blow your stack on the next bug that slams into your freshly cleaned sedan, stop and laugh.
Remember that it’s not worth it to lose your health and peace of mind over it. Let your mind and body enjoy the benefits of a joke a day, at the minimum. Five out of five doctors would agree.
Just watch that tongue-in-cheek. (Serve Daily submission.)