Did you know that some cancer patients develop an incredible and hilarious sense of dark humor? During my months of chemotherapy treatment, I bonded with beautiful souls who had a remarkable way of turning our shared pain into laugh fests. We were like a secret club, finding moments of joy amid our grim reality. From the outside, our humor might have seemed weird and twisted, but for us, it was a much-needed release. Laughing out loud lifted the heavy burden we carried, even if just for a moment. It’s a treasure I will never forget.
I faced fear every day, but I also embraced laughter. Whether it was absurd jests with fellow patients, Netflix comedies like “Parks & Recreation,” stand-up comedians like Jim Gaffigan, YouTube channels like KidSnippets, or books like “Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person,” I found a way to laugh every day.
Laughter not only feels good, it’s good for you! Research has shown laughter can reduce levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. (If you’re interested in reading more about the research on laughter try checking out: The Laughter Effect: How to Build Joy, Resilience, and Positivity in Your Life by Ron Ben-Moshe available on Amazon)
Recently, I saw a clip of an interview with Patti Smith on the Instagram channel ‘femalepoetssociety.’ She talked about how her brother had died suddenly, and when she and her sister were at the funeral home, sitting near the casket where her brother was laid out, they were heartbroken. Then Patti said something to her sister that triggered unstoppable laughter. Patti mentioned that this was perfect because her brother was such a funny person, and he would have been laughing right along with them. She said, “the point is, don’t be afraid to feel joy in the face of sorrow.”
I couldn’t agree with her more. No matter what you are going through right now, find a way to connect to joy and laughter. And always remember, #DoItYourWay!
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