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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Good humor goes a long way

No, I'm not talking about the ice cream!  Although that's good too . . . I'm talking about the laugh outloud good humor.  If you happen to be short on some good laughs it's always beneficial to watch your own behavior.  Having the ability to laugh at yourself is really wonderful. That means you are okay with being human and you freely forgive yourself and accept yourself just the way you are.  Your authentic self!  I remember a woman from many years ago that suffered from schizophrenia.  She was a sweet woman with a naive innocence.  She had upper dentures that were too loose and her
dentures would fall down and click on her lower teeth.  There were times when she was very bewildered by her environment.  One day I was talking with her and she told me that the day before she was driving down the road (yes she had a driver's license) and somebody had put all the stores and houses on the other side of the road.  I was listening intently about her distress that someone had rearranged her environment when I realized she was just driving the other way.  That was a moment I will never forget, because I think of her every time I get lost while I'm driving and I'm sure that someone must have just moved a familiar road and that's why I missed the turn.  That always makes me laugh out loud at how imperfect and human I am.   I'm easily amused.  When I accept myself for being human it is easier to accept others for being human too.  After all it's our species!  (Ruth Gorden's line in Harold and Maude, 1971)

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