There are some times in life that laughing until your sides hurt comes at the craziest of times. For instance, yesterday, at work. It was one of one of those, "What is wrong with people days?" One of those "If I'm responsible for people what in the world am I doing wrong?" days. Something wasn't right. The planets weren't aligned. People were grouchy. I was grouchy. Take your pick. Not sure what it was, but there was one term for it--it sucked. Technical term, I know.
And then...the phone rang. It was a colleague who was also a very close friend. She "got" it. She had been included on the email wherein someone had just torn me apart because I was handy. She "got" the challenges that I was facing on another topic at work. She "got" that I hadn't been feeling well all weekend, so my patience level was pretty much non existent. She "got" that my life had felt like the deck of cards at home with a family situation. She "got" that I worked with my ex-husband and that I had just had experienced (and gotten sucked into) another example of his "learned helplessness." On some level, she also probably also knew knew she didn't know everything that was going on in my head, as she has often said, "I couldn't have your brain. Mine would explode." (I think my random thoughts would drive many crazy.) While she, herself, was one of those friends that subscribes to the same motto that I do in life, "Get S*!T Done!" We all have our coping mechanisms. She practices Yoga. I practice sarcasm. In short, she "got" me.
She asked one question, "How are you?" It was at that point that that I had to make the decision to burst into tears...or crack some joke...or just be something else. I wish I could say it was a well-thought out decision. Instead it was a gut reaction--of confusion and combination. "Fine (which we all know what that really means)" ...to a quick rant on most recent email from a person who lives to make my life miserable these days....to a series of comments (which could maybe have been labeled as sarcastic) which resulted in my friend saying through the laughter, "Please stop. Please stop. My sides hurt. I. Can't. Take it."
It was about that fast and not atypical of our conversations. "Hide behind the humor," is often my motto. Maybe not always healthy, but it alleviates my perceived need/wish of wanting to scream at people, throw things, or look at someone and say, "Are you really that mean/stupid/crazy/spiteful/clueless?" O.k. maybe not scream or throw, but definitely the last one.
My morning had started out at about 4:30 a.m. Quiet. Alone. Contemplative. Mornings are always like that for me, probably partially because nobody in their right mind gets up that early. About an hour later, my mood quickly went to laughter with a single text from a friend who is NOT a morning person. One text that had me rolling on the floor laughing. Well, in a figurative way. If I was literally on floor, let alone rolling on the floor, the day would have ended up at ER rather than at work. (See above note about my lack of flexibility through the practice of yoga.) I digress.
My day was peppered with texts from a friend who is a "sister from another mister." One who can gently can say, "you're crazy" in the kindest way possible, have me catch myself, and we end up laughing about life until we can't breathe.
Then, an evening with my teenage son. A simple ordinary evening: discussing life, arguing about him wanting another puppy, a quick dinner, and a haircut for him. With plenty of laughs, even amid the arguments--I am NOT getting another puppy, by the way--life was funny.
As I reflected on the day, I smiled. I thought about the comments that I had wanted to say to others, but hadn't because some days, even I have a filter. I thought about the funny texts that I had received from friends. The laughs I had with others. I thought about the "headscratcher moments" (as I like to call them) that you really just want to say to people "Really?"
Life is good even on days that suck! Embrace those who make you laugh. Cherish those who laugh with you. Pay those who laugh at your jokes--hey, we all need an audience. A good laugh can solve almost any problem.
And then...the phone rang. It was a colleague who was also a very close friend. She "got" it. She had been included on the email wherein someone had just torn me apart because I was handy. She "got" the challenges that I was facing on another topic at work. She "got" that I hadn't been feeling well all weekend, so my patience level was pretty much non existent. She "got" that my life had felt like the deck of cards at home with a family situation. She "got" that I worked with my ex-husband and that I had just had experienced (and gotten sucked into) another example of his "learned helplessness." On some level, she also probably also knew knew she didn't know everything that was going on in my head, as she has often said, "I couldn't have your brain. Mine would explode." (I think my random thoughts would drive many crazy.) While she, herself, was one of those friends that subscribes to the same motto that I do in life, "Get S*!T Done!" We all have our coping mechanisms. She practices Yoga. I practice sarcasm. In short, she "got" me.
She asked one question, "How are you?" It was at that point that that I had to make the decision to burst into tears...or crack some joke...or just be something else. I wish I could say it was a well-thought out decision. Instead it was a gut reaction--of confusion and combination. "Fine (which we all know what that really means)" ...to a quick rant on most recent email from a person who lives to make my life miserable these days....to a series of comments (which could maybe have been labeled as sarcastic) which resulted in my friend saying through the laughter, "Please stop. Please stop. My sides hurt. I. Can't. Take it."
It was about that fast and not atypical of our conversations. "Hide behind the humor," is often my motto. Maybe not always healthy, but it alleviates my perceived need/wish of wanting to scream at people, throw things, or look at someone and say, "Are you really that mean/stupid/crazy/spiteful/clueless?" O.k. maybe not scream or throw, but definitely the last one.
My morning had started out at about 4:30 a.m. Quiet. Alone. Contemplative. Mornings are always like that for me, probably partially because nobody in their right mind gets up that early. About an hour later, my mood quickly went to laughter with a single text from a friend who is NOT a morning person. One text that had me rolling on the floor laughing. Well, in a figurative way. If I was literally on floor, let alone rolling on the floor, the day would have ended up at ER rather than at work. (See above note about my lack of flexibility through the practice of yoga.) I digress.
My day was peppered with texts from a friend who is a "sister from another mister." One who can gently can say, "you're crazy" in the kindest way possible, have me catch myself, and we end up laughing about life until we can't breathe.
Then, an evening with my teenage son. A simple ordinary evening: discussing life, arguing about him wanting another puppy, a quick dinner, and a haircut for him. With plenty of laughs, even amid the arguments--I am NOT getting another puppy, by the way--life was funny.
As I reflected on the day, I smiled. I thought about the comments that I had wanted to say to others, but hadn't because some days, even I have a filter. I thought about the funny texts that I had received from friends. The laughs I had with others. I thought about the "headscratcher moments" (as I like to call them) that you really just want to say to people "Really?"
Life is good even on days that suck! Embrace those who make you laugh. Cherish those who laugh with you. Pay those who laugh at your jokes--hey, we all need an audience. A good laugh can solve almost any problem.