This past Sunday afternoon, Eric and I went to see Tim Hawkins, a Christian comedian. We went last year and had such a good time that we couldn’t pass up seeing him again this year. Last year, watching Eric laugh so hard brought me joy, especially knowing that it was doing his hard working soul such good.
Eric is a focuser. When he has a goal in mind, little can keep him from completing it. Its completion date may get pushed back and the overall idea may change a few times, but in the end he will finish what he started.
I am an experiencer and tend to get excited about new ideas for a while… and then lose interest. At the end of the day, I would much rather pour my energy into family and people I love than projects and tasks that will be waiting for me in the morning. As you can imagine, the two of us have had our share of disagreements on the ins and outs of life. This is one reason why it is so important to laugh together and make time to see the lighter side of life. It’s even important to learn to laugh at yourself.
Laughter is like balm for the soul. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine.” (ESV) Personally, I can tell when I have not had a good laugh in a while. It’s as if my insides are dry and cracked. If I’m feeling down or weary, sometimes all it takes is a night out with girl friends and a few good laughs to refocus myself and bring healing to my mind.
Relationships encounter bumps from daily life. Resentments come along and bitterness takes root when we aren’t paying attention. A courtship/marriage without laughter is like dry, cracked skin. It’s painful and crying out for something to soothe it. Laughter soothes relationships and all relationships need soothing. Life can get too serious when we focus so hard on our daily tasks. We have to find the humor in the small things or we run the risk of becoming cold and bitter.
A few weeks ago, Ramsey came into the bedroom with a toilet paper roll in her mouth. My first instinct was to get angry because we are constantly pulling trash out of her mouth. Then, I looked at her again and it appeared as if she had a huge cigar hanging out of her mouth. So, I decided to see the humor in the situation. I got my camera and took a picture. Currently that picture is on my desktop because it brings a smile to my heart no matter how many times I’ve seen it. There are hundreds of occasions I could’ve chosen to find humor in trying situations and didn’t. The times I have taken a step back and decided to laugh at life’s strange happenings, all has turned out fine and I have come out of the situation less worn and frazzled.
If you are married, do you find you and your spouse laughing together? If so, how has laughing together affected your marriage? If not, do you feel like something is lacking in your relationship? If you are currently dating or engaged, do you find that you and your significant other have a similar sense of humor? Do you laugh at each other’s jokes? Do you laugh at silly arguments you once had? If not, has your relationship suffered as a result? Do you find that one or both of you take life’s problems too seriously? I’ve enjoyed nothing in my marriage more than sharing a good laugh with Eric as it lightens our load.
Do you find yourself laughing together in your relationship?
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