A joyful heart is good medicine… (Proverbs 17:22)
When Joe was first in the hospital in late June of 2014, even before he was diagnosed with brain cancer, he was weak and nauseated. He was dealing with a partial vision loss as well as a loss of feeling in his right foot and hand. He couldn’t play guitar or read (two of his “main things”). He was constantly being poked, prodded, questioned and scanned.
I spent most of my days and nights with him, and we were both exhausted, stressed and of course, wondering what the heck was happening to him.
We spent one week in the hospital in this state.
Toward the end of that bewildering week, I finally remembered the value of humor. I didn’t even have the energy to read to Joe, and we didn’t have internet, but I found a one-hour Brian Regan show in my downloads and Joe and I watched it one night on my laptop. We hadn’t laughed in a long time, but Brian made us laugh, again and again. I can’t even express to you what a relief that was. I was filled with gratitude for the talent and drive God has given to some people that allows them to entertain us. Even those who don’t acknowledge the source of their talent can be a blessing.
The hour of laughter didn’t change our circumstance; it just provided a ray of sunshine on the dark road. But it was a good reminder to stay open to humor and to search it out when necessary. Good comedy isn’t just frivolous. It can be healing in a way, and a road to a fresh perspective. I think it is valuable for its own sake.
Humor is a gift, and I am so grateful that my family has developed that quality over the years. I am also grateful to the many talented comedians who don’t resort to profanity or off-color humor to get a laugh. I hope they have someone in their lives who makes them laugh, too.
