Today, I share with you my View on Laughter, Happiness and Well Being.
I think, therefore I am sure it was René Descartes, that great philosopher, who once said “happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess”. He was a man of great insight and he also wrote most of Ken Dodd’s hit records.
Happiness is a great gift, and we should be glad when we are the recipient of such a gift - but who was it who also said “it is better to give than receive”...I believe it was Graham Norton.
Norton is a man who has given so much of himself to others over the course of many years, he has freely offered that little bit of himself that brings a smile to the lips of his fellow men - his humour.
His personal well being, his outward glow not merely a result of all the fresh air in Ireland, no, it comes from knowing that he has given of himself in such a generous way.
In a world of sadness and sorrow, in a world where bad things can happen when we least expect it, in a world where Ed Balls exists, we need a little shaft of sunshine, we need a giggle, we need that humorous antidote.
I have known great sadness in my life, the loss of loved ones, the disappointment when things don’t go your way, failing to achieve the things I set out to achieve, and worst of all, seeing Katie Price on the television...but I overcame all of this through a positive mental attitude and by having a bloody good laugh at the expense of others.
Because although laughter is uplifting and invigorating, it invariably flows from the failure of others to see the pile of dog mess before they tread in it. The old time comics had it perfectly worked out, I’m thinking of the likes of Laurel and Hardy. We laughed so hard as kids whilst we watched them push each other over, get poked in the eye or get hit on the head with bricks. It was called slapstick comedy, now it’s called Saturday night in Mansfield town centre.
Their pain was our salvation, their humiliation was our path to feeling just a little better that we couldn’t have anymore sweets because we were “getting too fat”!
I used to watch Oliver Hardy and think, one day, one day that will be me! I will be the recipient of the bricks and the pain and somewhere a little fat boy will stop crying and forget that his budgie just been eaten by the neighbours cat.
Of course, I didn’t become Oliver Hardy, I still retain that fine physique that often has me confused with Simon McCorkindale in his Manimal days.
Let us consider the power of laughter in the world. When you see the great world leaders laugh together you just know that the world is safer, and of course they are all laughing at Monsieur Sarkozy, the French President and trainee munchkin, and he in turn is laughing at them because he gets to go home with Carla.
And how many of us laughed when the Germans got knocked out of the World Cup? You see, we revel in the pain of others, our laughter sets us free from the shackles of misery.
I recall the story of a man who lost everything he owned through a gambling habit, on his way home to tell his sick wife of his misfortune a terrible tornado appeared and destroyed his home, killing his wife and worst of all smashing his plasma telly. As he drove towards the ruined house, his dog, so happy to see his master, ran to meet him and was crushed to death under the wheels of the car.
But did this man cry? Well, yes a little bit, but then he began to laugh, he laughed until he cried (again) and he was still laughing as they took him away. You see, laughter has the power to move people. He also made a fortune again selling his story to a country singer who then released it as a number one best seller.
Laughter really is the best medicine (unless you have wind in which case I suggest Rennies) and we should be ready to swallow that medicine as well as bottle it and offer it to others.
The next time you are feeling under the weather just have a walk where people gather, a supermarket, a pub or the job centre - and just take the time to see how much sadder the lives of others can be...just think about the poverty, the lack of fashion sense, the amazing ability some troglodytes possess to have running water in the house but never let it touch their skin!
Consider all of that and smile, and as that supercilious feeling spreads around your body revel in the feeling. Then as the warmth begins to spread, you might feel a little smirk, let the smirk widen into a smile and let that smile break out into a huge laugh - and you will feel so much better, I guarantee it!
And that was the View on Laughter, Happiness and Well Being.
I leave you with this final thought:
He who laughs last - is probably an idiot...so laugh at him.
Thank you for taking in The View from the Hill, soon I will return bringing with me The View on Special Educational Needs.
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