Laughter Is the Best Medicine

As a child, I remember looking up at adults and wondering why they were always so serious. I did not know exactly why or how their lives were so much more complicated than mine. I counted on them to take care of the difficult and confusing concepts, which I had no clue how to deal with. Now that I have matured, it is necessary to learn more about compound matters. On the other hand, I do not have to wear the same serious, intense faces that most grownups have painted on their faces. My dad continuously makes me laugh no matter how angry or sorrowful I am feeling. I know that I can always turn the bad times around if I think on the bright side, instead of worrying about the hardships constantly. There is always room for a few jokes and laughter in life. In addition, my grandmother has also taught me that I am never too old to laugh my heart out and have a humorous time in life, before it runs out. I am also able to laugh at myself if I do something embarrassing or stupid. Life is a learning process, so I might as well make it worthwhile and amusing with some laughter.
When I was younger, I used to try to be as stubborn as my parents, especially when I was upset or angry. I would convince them that I would be mad forever with my pouty face and heavy feet stomping through the floor. I was wrong, of course. In the next five minutes I would be giggling nonstop under the ticklish touch of my dad, as he mesmerized my body into a burst of flailing, cackling, playful motions. By then, I could not even recall what I had been bothered about. Sometimes, I would come inside balling my eyes out after scraping my knee. Glad to go through the process again, my dad sincerely asks, “Do you want me to call the hospital?” After I nodded my head in response, he would bellow as loud as he could, “HOSPITAL!” Eventually, I gave up explaining that he needed to use the telephone; laughing at his silly behavior and forgetting about my busted knee. I adore my dad for constantly keeping my life pleasurable and upbeat. Even now, as a moody teenager, I am never miserable for long. My dad will always be there to break my angry spirit with giggles and laughter.
This past summer I visited my seventy-four year old grandmother for a couple of weeks. I have honestly never laughed so much during any other two weeks in my life. Most of the time, we were cackling hysterically at the flaws that develop from aging. She often forgot where she had placed things and claimed that someone had hidden them from her. We also had several good chuckles about her problems hearing. Sometimes, she thought that I had said something so outrageous and far from reality that I fell on the floor laughing. I would make fun of her by whispering sentences just to make her say “What?” several times. It never stopped being humorous. We both enjoyed laughing at it as well. Overall, I learned that you are never too old to have fun. One day, while my grandma and I were gardening, she was worrying about getting Melanoma, since the burning sun was smothering her pale shoulders. A few moments later, I surprised her with my outrageous umbrella concoction, which we both had a good laugh at. It became even more ridiculous when I went to take a picture of her supposedly gardening under my new invention. Instead, she was texting away with her friends! I still have the picture of her pretending to weed the garden with her cell phone in the other hand. It is a memory that I will cherish and chortle about forever. We loved making each other laugh. I can wait to get older, but at least I know that I can joke about my old-lady mishaps.
As a teenager, I have made an abundance of mistakes. There are embarrassing moments around every bend on this never ending, always winding road. I have chosen to drive right through the tough obstacles, knowing that eventually, I will be riding on the smooth, flat highway ahead. The best way that I know how to deal with those bumps in the road is to laugh about them and keep on driving. There will always be rough times, but I have prepared for them with a little chuckle of encouragement, knowing that everything will turn out right. Staying embarrassed or frustrated will certainly not help me improve my errors in the future. It is easy to be embarrassed in school, amongst your peers. Whether you are the clumsy kid, the unorganized student who forgets their homework, or the kid who accidentally farts in class; it is important to be able to giggle at those humorous moments and move on. The rest of the world will follow. Life is about making mistakes. It is more enjoyable for the people who are able to laugh at themselves.
I personally believe that if I did not have laughter, or the people in my life that make me laugh, I would be lost. Laughter is the best medicine for everyone to take no matter their age or personality. It may never solve my problems in life, especially the challenging ones ahead, but it will surely make the hardships easier to endure. I am grateful that my dad is there to make me laugh if I am troubled or bitter. Even in my old age, I am assured that I will be able to enjoy life. My gram has shown me that the faults in aging are easier to kid about, rather than fret. She is able to laugh about her own mistakes as a part of getting older. I laugh about my imperfections now, and I will absolutely continue to in my seventies. In the future, my father and grandmother may not be alive. Thankfully, I will always remember our fond memories giggling to death about life. Laughter has become a big part of my personality and I strive to make myself as well as others laugh everyday. It truly is the best medicine in life.