Preparing to Laugh

I’ve been told that I am an organized person. I know this about myself. That’s just the way I am. 

I’d have to say that the two people who influenced my organizational skills were my grandma Weber and my father.

My father made sure all of us laid out our clothes for the next day. My sisters and I hung a dress or skirt on a hanger near our beds. Then we lined up our shoes directly underneath our clothes and tucked our socks into our shoes. That was our nightly routine.

It wasn’t about just knowing what we were going to wear the next day, we had to actually make sure that we had everything we needed.

Then there was my grandmother who always made a menu plan for the week. Then she made out her grocery list to make certain she’d have everything she needed for the meals she was planning to serve.  

I no longer lay out my clothes for the next day, but I do make a weekly menu and shopping list.

So what does organization have to do with laughter and humor? With only personal experience to draw from, I’m convinced that when we prepare ourselves to laugh we are more likely to laugh.

What does it mean to prepare ourselves to laugh? Getting ready to laugh means letting our guard down so we can be open to unexpected humor, and know those with whom you can laugh.

When I prepare to go out from the safety and familiarity of my home and into the general public, I prepare for unexpected opportunities to laugh by keeping my guard down. 

For instance, in the grocery store last week, my husband and I stood over the chicken breast display. We were discussing the differences between air chilled chicken breasts and organic chicken breasts. 

The meat manager was nearby and explained the difference to us. Then he went on to tell us about a mysterious conundrum that occurs often in his department. “No one likes to buy the last package of meat in a display.” 

It was an amusing mystery for him to share with us and we all had a good chuckle. If I’d been on guard, I’d never have stood and listened to his story.

 Knowing with whom we can share our laughter is important to being prepared to laugh. Though I believe everyone has a sense of humor, not everyone has discovered theirs. 

Those with whom I’ve shared laughter are the ones who’ve discovered their sense of humor. Those who laugh with ease are the ones with whom I can laugh with too. Those who are not embarrassed to laugh out loud are the ones I can laugh out loud with.  

Why Bother?

Why bother preparing to laugh? The next time you leave the comfort and familiarity of your home, prepare yourself to laugh by letting your guard down and then know with whom you can share a laugh.