Balance
Humor and sorrow go hand in hand. We laugh when we see someone trip and fall. We laugh when we ourselves have fallen. We laugh through tears. We laugh when something feels too painful, too crazy, too troubling to process. We protect ourselves with humor. And we heal from humor. Making a joke at our own expense is a way to ease embarrassment. Making a joke about a taboo subject is a way to ease awkwardness. And making a joke about something that is sad is a way to get conversation, healing, and self- reflection started. That's why comics are so funny! More often than not they tell truths - awkward, difficult, depressing, and painful truths - with a twist, with the lightness of humor, and the gentling of a silly drawing. And who doesn't love a good comic? It's also why I love stand up comedy so much. Laughing at empty wallets and bad breakups doesn't fix problems, but it certainly makes them easier to bear. What I'm trying to say is that life can be made better... happier, easier to process, less burdensome, if you're just willing to let yourself laugh. Let yourself find the humor in a situation, even if that humor is a tad bit dark. I've been notoriously self-pressuring for my entire adult life. Workaholic, stressed out, overly concerned- about everything... and I'm tired of it. To me #yolo is such a silly concept, perpetuating bad behavior, but you know what... you do only live once. And I've lived a rather strick, nose-to-the-grind-stone, serious life, and I'm ready to change that a little, loosen up, have a little more fun, treat myself a little more often, and ultimately. .. laugh more. Laugh more and live more, those two things go together don't they? And how I'm going to start that is by letting myself smile in the face of adversity, letting sorrow wash over me knowing that eventually laughter will again fill my lungs... And by knowing that the yin and yang of life is necessary for balance.
