The Wise Sage



There once was a wise sage who wandered the countryside. One day, as he passed near a village, he was approached by a woman who told him of a sick child nearby. She beseeched him to help this child.

So the sage came to the village, and a crowd gathered around him, for such a man was a rare sight. One woman brought the sick child to him, and he said a prayer over her.

"Do you really think your prayer will help her, when medicine has failed?" yelled a man from the crowd.

"You know nothing of such things! You are a stupid fool!" said the sage to the man.

The man became very angry with these words and his face grew hot and red. He was about to say something, or perhaps strike out, when the sage walked over to him and said: "If one word has such power as to make you so angry and hot, may not another have the power to heal?"

And thus, the sage healed two people that day.

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

Matthew 12:37



Laughter is the Best Medicine

The most wasted of all days is that on which one has not laughed.

A little girl was eating her breakfast one morning when a ray of sunlight suddenly appeared through the clouds and reflected off the spoon in her cereal bowl.  She immediately put it into her mouth. With a big smile she exclaimed to her mother, "I just swallowed a spoonful of sunshine!"

A spoonful of sunshine just may be the best "soul food" that a person can have in a day.  A prominent surgeon once wrote, "Encourage your child to be merry and to laugh aloud.  A good, hearty laugh expands the chest and makes the blood bound merrily along.  A good laugh will sound right through the house.  It will not only do your child good, but will be a benefit to all who hear, and be an important means of driving the blues away from a dwelling.  Merriment is very catching, and spreads in a remarkable manner; few being able to resist the contagion.  A hearty laugh is delightful harmony; indeed it is the best of music." 

Not enough laughter has never been a problem for me.  I love to laugh and I look for reasons to giggle in most every situation I come across throughout the day.  It's not that I don't have things to be unhappy about, I just choose to find some humor in most everything.  It helps to lighten the load. 

An old poem advises: If you are on the Gloomy Line, the Worry Train, or the Grouchy Track, get a transfer! It’s time to climb aboard the Sunshine Train and sit in one of its Cheerful Cars.

I Love to Laugh!

Laughter is good for your soul--and your body!

 ©iStockphoto.com

When was the last time you had a really good laugh?  I LOVE to laugh!  I always have.  Something catches me, and I can chuckle, giggle, and laugh right out loud for the rest of the day, maybe two or three days.  It doesn't take much.  My landlord loves to stop by with his latest joke.  Now these jokes are old, most of them, and sound very similar to the ones I heard when I was teaching school from the kiddos, but he is so excited to tell them and, just like those kids, he waits with anticipation to get my reaction.  He always looks so pleased when I laugh (and I always do). 

I can't imagine living life without a sense of humor.  We all know those people who very seldom smile, let alone laugh.  It's like they're afraid their faces will crack or something if they smiled.  I actually had a lady that told me, many years ago, that she didn't smile because it made wrinkles.  Well, good!  Then when people look at your face they can see how happy your life's been.  (At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

I recently watched a video from YouTube with a baby who laughed because her father was tearing paper.  Now, I didn't find the paper-tearing humorous but it sure was fun to watch that baby!  I watched it several times and I still giggle when I think about that baby giggling and laughing. 

You know, laughter really is good medicine.  It can help relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity.  There are even laughter yoga clubs now. I had to check them out.  Dr. William Fry, well-known research scientist from Stanford University scientifically proved that 10 minutes of healthy laughter is equal to 30 minutes on the rowing machine. Laughter is the best cardio workout. As an exercise it has similar benefits as compared to other aerobic activities like jogging, dining, swimming, and cycling. Laughter Yoga is ideally suitable for people who cannot walk, have no time to exercise like business professionals, and those who are bedridden.

So, look at all the therapy I've had over the years!  And it was free!  What could be better?  OK, so I have some wrinkles around my eyes...just a few, but the positives far outweigh the negatives and the best part is, it's just fun!  Isn't that the important part?  Remember, it's the only life we've got.  We can choose how we face each day.  Find the humor; laugh at something, laugh at nothing!  It's good for you!