My fifth grade teacher, Sister George, did not have a funny bone in her body. Life was serious work and she instilled solemnity in each of her students with her mantra, “Whatever is worth doing, Is worth doing well.” I took those words to heart and for a very long time I was serious about seriously doing everything well. 

Perfectionism Does Not Bring Happiness  

I took Sister George’s tutelage to heart and became an even more serious minded individual. But, I always admired albeit, from a distance, people with a sense of humor. I envied how they smiled and laughed with ease. 

I do not discount the importance of doing whatever task we are doing to the best of our ability, but I’ve learned over the years that everything does not have to be done to perfection. Striving toward doing every little task well actually causes heart problems. Our hearts become heavy instead of buoyant, and gloom and doom leave us bone tired.  

I’m still recovering from Sister George’s tutelage, but I am gaining ground on appreciating humor. My deliverers from the pensiveness I acquired in my younger years are those friends of mine whose hearts overflow with happiness, joviality, and gladness.  Hanging out with them reminds me that although I may not be as witty as they are, their wittiness wears off on me and lightens my heart. 

For instance, I noticed Carol before we even met. I observed her as she played with her little toddler at the lake. She held onto the little girl while at the same time bobbed her up and down in the water, then she’d swirl her through the waves. Both mother and daughter giggled in unison. They were both abandoned to the simple pleasure of playing in the water on a summer’s day. 

A few months later, Carol tapped on my front door and introduced herself as one of my neighbors who, like me, home-schooled her kids. Our friendship began and, the rest, as they say, is history.

Then there is my friend Kim who says, “Yeah, no,” a lot. Although she tries hard to agree with everyone and says, “yeah.” A moment or two later, when realizes she cannot agree with them she will say, “no.” “Yeah, no,” became a running joke between us and now we have matching t-shirts with those words printed across the front. 

 Fastening myself to someone with a humorous point of view, unfastens me from being so dog-gone serious. 

Why bother appreciating humor? Even if we are not the ones who can remember the punch line to a joke, it is worth hanging out with those who can. They remind us that gloom and doom leave us bone tired, but a glad heart lifts us up.