Humor is the great elixir. It shifts energy. Trauma to relaxation. Sadness to laughter. Pressure to release. I have an analytical mind and seek to apply logic and reason to most situations.
This sort of deep contemplation leads to ‘aha’ moments frequently. Small details are noticed. Moments of inspiration are channelled.
However, this analytical approach can also lead to a ‘heavy’ atmosphere. I can take the joy out of eating cotton candy and winning the lottery when I become too analytical and forget to invite along my sense of humor!,
“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.” –Henry Ward Beecher.
I was reminded of the power of humor on a recent hiking trip. We were coming down the mountain exhausted. It rained. We got lost. My mission was to get to the end. I was consumed with my task at hand. I stopped enjoying the majestic sound of the waterfall. The branches become annoying impediments to my end goal. So we let our dog, Finley, off the leash. He pushed passed the children. The children were following close behind. Occasionally I would scan ahead to make sure they were in a safe place. Some of the hike was inimical to stable footing. One misstep and you slide down a muddy bog.
As I briefly looked ahead I noticed two people I thought were sitting on a ledge. I was not sure so I continued to scan ahead. I noticed a familiar movement but could not register what I was seeing. ‘No’ I thought, that is just their leg swaying as they enjoy the view. Then the movement became more rapid. Oh. Oh. Oh no, my kids are fast approaching their love nest.
All I could think was to shout “Finley, Finley, Finley come here boy”. The man was in denial as well. He stopped at my first shout. Paused, then resumed his actions with fury as if deep down he knew someone was there, but maybe if he was fast enough he could close the deal before we descended upon them. Louder and more aggressively I shout “Finley, Finley, Finley.”
My husband is unaware. My children are unaware. My dog is very aware. In true doggie fashion he pounces into their area for some obligatory sniffing.
“Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final” – Rainer Maria Rilke
My mood shifted. The rain was pleasant. My step lightened. How easy it would have been to get uptight. To hastily overcorrect to catch up to my children and possibly hurt myself. To go numb and fail to react. How powerful if I can carry this same levity into all areas of my life.
“What you have to decide… is how you want your life to be. If your forever was ending tomorrow, would this be how you’d want to have spent it? Listen, the truth is, nothing is guaranteed. You know that more than anybody. So don’t be afraid. Be alive.” – Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever.