Spirituality and the Power of Humor

Over the years, I have kept a file that I call “Things to Look At When Bummed File”. It has grown thick over the years as I have added jokes, political cartoons, funny stories and other humorous tidbits. When I am sad or distressed, or when things get really rough, I review this file and soon I am laughing so hard I am in a much better space mentally and spiritually!

It is proven that laughing is good for us. It helps boost the immune system. Laughter makes us feel good. It relieves and diffuses tension in stressful moments. It helps us relax and recharge. It decreases pain. It releases endorphins and enhances serotonin, (a powerful antidepressant!). It helps prevent heart disease. It eases anxiety and fear.

Ever been around someone that has no sense of humor? Watch your anxiety rise, and the time pass very slowly!

Yes, it is no secret that humor and laughing are good for one’s physical and mental health, as well as for one’s spirit!

Many have asked me how I have survived 22+ years of military service. I tell them, ‘Humor and prayer!’

The military itself has a particularly interesting cultural humor about it. This is often overlooked as the mission of the military is about such serious stuff; danger, high stress, deployments, war, facing death, suffering, sacrifice, etc. Perhaps this is one reason for the success and popularity of the TV show MASH. It captures that humor (as well as a TV show can do) that helps people deal in the most harsh and stressful of environments.

On top of the mission, the military is a giant bureaucracy, hierarchical and can be very impersonal and full of absurdities and annoying things. Just to deal with the military organization itself you NEED a good sense of humor. As anyone who has served will tell you, a healthy sense of humor is one way to survive the bureaucracy!

The power of humor can also be very healing. Recently I saw a workshop being held on the topic “Humor and Laughter in the Cancer Journey”. Now, we would not think that having cancer as a funny topic, but such is the power of humor to help us heal, and deal…

And now as I deal with my own illness, the stress of the unknown, going through major surgery, painful medical procedures and treatments the past few months, I have once again found that humor helps me through.

For example, I have a phobia of needles, and now that I am sick, this makes it really, really hard for me as I am always having blood drawn, IVs, shots, tests, etc. It is NO FUN.

However, I have found that if I ask the person who is about to stick a needle into me to tell me a joke, it REALLY helps me not be so nervous. Humor really helps!

The other week, I did this as the nurse was about to try and get an IV into me. I asked her to tell me a joke. She looked at me blankly, “I don’t know any jokes!”. But then two medical assistants overheard, intervened and told a joke…and the needle went in without any pain! My distress was much lessened. Later, as I was about to have a CT scan, the technician said to me, “You like jokes huh? I have one for you…” and he proceeded to tell me a joke. And later, as I was about to leave the medical facility, a young doctor came up to me and said, “Hey, are you the patient that likes jokes? I have one for you…” and she delighted in telling me her joke!

Yes laughter and humor gives us courage and strength in the most difficult of times. It helps us stay focused on hope! And hope is powerful medicine indeed!

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…” Ecclesiastes 3.4

"If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide."
- Mahatma Gandhi