Laughter and Life

             Bill and Kathleen Holdaway Swain on their wedding day, June 29, 1946

http://pegoleg.com/2015/01/05/why-i-would-rather-try-to-find-the-funny-than-the-meaning-of-life/

http://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/01/10/having-the-last-laugh/

http://lindaghill.com/2015/01/01/just-jot-it-january-pingback-post-and-rules/

I have continued to think of Pegoleg’s post  and Yadadarcyyaday posts yesterday. Laughter has saved me in some of the most stressful situations of my life.  It is cathartic.  On the way to my father’s funeral, my mother was sitting between me and my husband.  Of course, it was a somber time.  I was anxious to be of support to her, mindful of her grief and all the problems loss of a husband meant for her.  All the family had gathered at Mother’s house to prepare for the funeral, since we all lived at a considerable distance.  We were in the last automobile in a long line.  Her home was remote enough that her neighbor’s old dog felt obligated to bark, sounding an alarm at each car that passed, as was his lifelong responsibility.  He showed considerable enthusiasm at the first car or two, slowing down some by cars four or five.  By the time we passed in car number ten, he was exhausted.  He’d had to sit down but persisting to the last, he managed a hoarse bark.  I remarked, “It’s a good thing there weren’t any more of us!  He’d have never made it!”  Mother burst into laughter, laughing till tears ran down her face.

“Now that’s just not right!  Making a person laugh on the way to their husband’s funeral.” she complained.  “I was determined not to make a scene and now I look like I’ve been bawling my eyes out!”  It took her a few minutes to regain her composure, but once she quit laughing, she mopped her eyes, heading in to face the saddest day of her life.  She did look like she’d been bawling her eyes out, but it got her through a rough day.