I received your last letter and have grown concerned that you are taking things too seriously. Would it help to lighten up? A sense of humor can go a long way in nurturing our resilience. After all, what if the hokey pokey is what life is all about?
As you may recall, laughter is one of the components of spiritual health. When people stop laughing they are in trouble. Seriousness can lead to scrupulosity which has been recognized for centuries as a spiritual disease.
How do you develop a sense of humor? You have to look for the absurdities and incongruities in life. Puns are a great place to start. Jokes with an unexpected punchline are great.
The court jester was an iconic figure in the King’s court. Tom foolery was recognized as an important part of good governance. The court jester reminds everyone that the ways and wiles of the ego can be destructive so to make light engenders a sense of humility and perspective.
One way of engendering a sense of humor is having a joke a day. Share it with people you interact with during the day. I find bumper sticker sayings fun to share. My bumper sticker for today is “Never fetch water downstream from the herd.” We don’t live in agricultural communities any more, but even so, I found this funny and it is packed with wisdom.
Til next time, I hope you find some humor in your life. It will help you live longer and enjoy life more.
Your loving cousin,
Harry
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