Br’er Rabbit, a mischievous character in the movie Song of the South, leaves his comfy home in search of finding his laughin’ place. The story doesn’t tell us, but I surmise that he got tired of the serious business that accompanies planting, weeding and harvesting carrots day after tedious day. I am reminded of Br’er Rabbit’s search each time I ride my favorite attraction in Disneyland, Splash Mountain. While riding a log flume inside a mountain, amidst 20,000 gallons of water being pumped per minute, you follow Br’er Rabbit as he goes in search of his laughin’ place. After advancing to the highest point in the mountain in your log flume, you are dropped 52 ½ feet down into the Briar Patch. Br’er Rabbit and his friends then celebrate his escape from Br’er Fox by singing the song, Ev’rybody’s Got a Laughin’ Place.
Loretta LaRoche, an international stress management and humor consultant, and author of many books writes the following in her book, Relax—You May Only Have A Few Minutes Left:
“Children are…prolific at laughter. Stanford professor of psychiatry Dr. William Fry has found that a five-year-old child laughs more than four hundred times a day. But by the time people are adults, that total shrivels to 14 times daily—or less. What happens is that as children grow up, they are told to ‘get serious.’ The result is that most adults suffer from terminal seriousness.
“Many of us have become terminally serious or, more to the point, anal retentive. This is a condition that makes us look like we’re holding quarters between our cheeks. Some people even look like they’re holding dimes. The end result of this condition is that even if we wanted to let out a good laugh, we couldn’t, because we can’t squeeze and laugh at the same time. Children belly laugh because they haven’t started squeezing yet.”
Laughter is the greatest destressor and combatant against the barrage of negative, criticizing messages that come at us each day. It allows us to put away our masks, drop a few coins and forget about status and prestige, if only for a moment. According to Br’er Rabbit everybody’s got a laughin’ place. So where’s mine? Do I have one?
I decided that in order to answer this question, I would turn to the experts. I fancied my way out on the street and asked a few kids where their laughing place is. Here’s what I got:
Emily, Age 8—“When someone tells me a knock-knock joke. It can be anywhere!”
Ryan, Age 6—“Pretty much anywhere where people make me laugh. But some people say things that they think are funny, but I don’t, so I just kind of laugh with them. My laughing place is probably at my house.”
Zoe, Age 10—“If I’m in a good mood, it’s around my dad. He makes me laugh. But if I’m not in a good mood, then I think his jokes are really stupid.”
Jake, Age 7—(belly laughing and eyes sparkling all while he’s answering my question) “It’s in my bedroom because that’s where I can go and shut the door and eat the cookies that I steal from the kitchen.”
I’m still working on my laughin’ place, but I’ve decided that it really isn’t one designated place as much as it is found within my interpersonal relationships. I laugh most with those who know how to lighten up and drop the change more often than they hold it. I love being around those who don’t take life so seriously, who pursue their dreams with zest, who dance like nobody is watching, whose public masks and private masks are the same and who know how to laugh at themselves and get me to laugh at my own weaknesses and predicaments.
Searching for a laughin’ place isn’t a onetime event. In order to maintain a sense of humor and incorporate laughter into our lives, a laughin’ place must be sought after and created every day. I can guarantee you that your limo driver isn’t going to take you there without you giving him directions and describing what it looks or feels like.
So, take a minute and think. Do you have a laughin place? Where is it?
If you don’t, lighten up and get one—today. You owe it to yourself and those around you.
8 Comments:
I definately need to be dropping a few quarters! Thanks for the reminder!
This is certainly an area where we need to learn from the kids around us! Watching kids be kids & enjoying in their fun can help us all drop a few coins!
"Whatever you do, don't throw me into that briar patch!" :)
Unfortunately (and not by choice) my laughing place always tends to be in front of the mirror.
My family does like to have a good time and laugh, alot. You need that in your life. Keep the columns coming, I do enjoy your sense of humor!!!
I think I didn't find my laughing place until I had my daughters. Everyone tells you all about the serious parts of parenthood--the poop and the vomit and the sleep deprivation. But no one tells you that you will find yourself laughing all the way up from your toes every single day. (Well, maybe not when they are teenagers. But until then.)
I remember in 1985 going to Diseyland! I think the "Walrus Man" definitely needed a laughing place. I remember laughing going down Sepulveda Blvd. you trying to make your mom turn around.
We all need laughter in our life!
LOL
What a coincidence that we both related that ride to psychology and inspiration. Thank you so much for your comment on my site! And yes, I welcome linking in comments. I'll be sure and link this post of yours wherever I can think of!
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