A good life is full of laughter. Isn’t that why we love Conch Color? No matter what the topic, Tom, our senior editor, makes sure that it’s presented in a joyous light. There’s a lot of talk lately about how to become enlightened. Doesn’t that simply mean taking life lightly? When we think of enlightened beings, full of Holiness and grace, aren’t they also joyous and happy? Most of our pain and suffering is rooted in our perceptions. Yet, we can choose how we will interpret anything that happens to us. We become puppets when we allow our emotions to be tied to outside events. We give our power of happiness away to the changing tides of other people and situations. When we find ways to laugh at those situations that used to frustrate or anger us, we open ourselves to experience life from a joyously new perspective.
If there is a heaven, wisdom and humor are sure to hold thrones of equal stature. It’s impossible to sing “Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream,” and be miserable at the same time. “Merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.” As we practice, just looking at ourselves, we are free to move forward to what makes us happy. Are we truly following our bliss? Experiencing joy often means keeping things simple and slowing down the pace in our lives to enjoy a smile, the sunrise or the warm feelings of a good friend. It means not taking ourselves too seriously. Our sense of humor reflects who we are. When we detach from our struggles we experience the joys of living in the present. We look for humor in everything. We lighten up. When we let go of controlling how we want the world to be and begin experiencing it just as it is, we free ourselves to fully enjoy each moment. A toddler doesn’t worry about the past or the future. How can we recapture our child-like sense of wonder and delight? A good laugh lifts the spirit and cleanses the mind. It takes only 7 muscles to smile and 50 to frown. Ha! Ha! Ha!
David Saltzman was a senior at Yale when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. He was scared and depressed when a jester popped into his mind and asked, “How come you’re not laughing?” David captured his jester’s view in a journal that became the book, The Jester Has Lost His Jingle.” His forward said, “The best we can do is live life, know it’s meant to be enjoyed and know how important and special every moment…every person is…so at the end of the day, we can say ─ Thank God, I enjoyed it. I really lived in the moment. It’s not what was, what will be, but what IS.” He died 11 days before his 23rd birthday.
In the story, “The Optimist,” a psychologist suggested an idea to worried parents of twin boys. “On their next birthday, put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford and give the optimist a box of manure.” They peeked in the pessimist’s room and heard him complaining out loud. “I don’t like the color of this computer. I bet this game will break. Everyone’s car is bigger than mine…etc.” Peeking in the optimist’s room they saw him laughing and joyfully throwing the manure up in the air. “You can’t fool me! Where there’s this much manure, there’s got to be a pony!”
Let’s gauge our choices using a joy scale and remember as the title of another wise book says, “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and ─ it’s all small stuff!”
Write to Dr. Sandy Islands at sandyislands@hawaii.rr.com. Please have a joyously inspired day!