You may have heard it said before now, that ‘laughter is the best medicine’. It is the ease of access, freedom, having no affiliation to age, gender or economic status, that makes laughter good for all. It has even been proven to be good for combating certain ills such as stress. This week, we were saddened at the death of Ronnie Corbett, one half of the two Ronnies. With a stature of only 5 feet 1 inch, Corbett who was one of the smallest men in show business, used his size to his advantage in a humorous manner, never seeing it as a burden; and it worked. As in many things, what makes one laugh is very subjective and therefore, The Two Ronnies may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, however, they were hugely popular across the country and across generations.
In the Bible there are many references to laughter and rejoicing, such as…
Proverbs 17:22 – A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Job 8:21 – Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
Ecclesiastes 3:4 – A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Genesis 21:6 – And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, [so that] all that hear will laugh with me.
Psalms 16:11 – Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.
Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice.
It is argued that children laugh considerably more frequently than adults; it’s suggested 300 verses 17 times per day respectively. According to Scott Williams, The Laughter Specialist, laughter is based on one’s ‘inward disposition’ as opposed to the outward circumstances.
Martin Luther King jnr said, ‘It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart’.
Everyday this week, spend some time reflecting on life and find something pleasant to laugh about…it will do you some good!