Laugh a Little
April is National Humor Month! Welcome to a month of all things laughter over here on the blog and podcast, Learning to Live Again with Brooke Noelle. Today, we’re kicking off this month of laughter with two things: a little laughter & remembering why laughter is so important.
Let’s laugh a little. Anytime my mood gets me down, I think about this story right here. It makes the corners of my mouth turn up, and an out-loud laugh is sure to follow. I hope it does the same for you.
I’ve always loved going to the movie theatre. I get to escape life. Turn my cellphone off and ignore the world outside. I’ll go to the movies by myself in a heartbeat. I realized I loved doing this a few years ago when I bravely started taking myself out on dates. I needed to learn how to treat myself, and not wait on a guy to take me out. Let me just say, I am so worth it.
Do you know what I love more than taking myself to movies? Taking my niece and nephews to the movies! I know this is risky. Multiple children. One adult. Sugary snacks. Dark lighting. Anything could go wrong!
I have sat through a few movies before with these three Johnson kids. I have watched my older brother quietly remove my youngest nephew from the theatre about 20 minutes before the movie ends. You know this exit needs to happen when my nephew turns to his sister sitting next to him and starts randomly punching her arm on repeat while everyone else in the theatre enjoys a climactic song from Anna, Elsa, and Olaf.
Bye Bye. See you when the movies over.
Two years ago I packed all three kids up in my car and drove them to the nearest theatre to see Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse. Snacks packed in my purse and some money for popcorn. We’re set.
When we sat down in the almost empty theatre my niece, the conductor of the three immediately enforces the seating chart.
She exclaims, “Landon sits over here. Then me. Then Maddox. Then Brookie.”
Brilliant! I’m thinking inside. Yes, yes. We should definitely have a seating chart. This is good.
Snacks get situated and bathroom breaks arranged even though my non-mom brain is like, “Do I let them go to the bathroom alone or do we pack up everything, file out in our seating chart order, and all go to the bathroom together before the movie starts?” Don’t worry we most definitely did not do the latter. Somehow my logical low-key self let go of control and decided on some other sensible decision I’m sure.
We settle in for the show. We feel all the feels. We laugh. We sit on the edge of our seats. We dance to the “Sunflower” song by Post Malone and Swae Lee. We laugh some more at Peter Porker, the pig version of Spiderman who has all the spidey-senses the human Peter Parker version has.
All three of the Johnson kids glued to the visual candy-colored animation dancing on the screen.
Then suddenly a heartfelt heartbreaking point of the movie happens. Spoiler Alert: Miles Morales, the main character, escapes danger out on the streets as his uncle is left behind and dies of injuries. Seconds later, the screen cuts to Miles crying in his dorm room at school while his father knocks on the door and tells Miles about his uncle’s death. Unbeknownst to his father, Miles already knows about the death because…well…Miles is secretly Spiderman and witnessed the whole thing.
I’m choking back tears. The animated scene just hit close to home. My senses flooded with all these reminders of finding out someone close to me had died.
When suddenly, on my shoulder….
Tap, tap, tap…
I look down at my four-year-old nephew. He’s frantically wiping his face with the backs of his little hands. With all the unfiltered directness in his little body, he says, “Brookie, ugh! My eyes are sweating like a pig!”
Then his red eyes and wet cheeks look up at me and I bust out laughing! “You’re like Peter Porker aren’t you!”
He starts to laugh too, “Yeah, Peter Porker! What a ham!”
That was that. No more tears for us.
It lightened the moment. It helped us enjoy and take in the rest of the movie. To which, no one was escorted out early. No random punching fests happened. We all made it through that entire film from beginning to end.
Why do we need moments of laughter like this?
I’d dare say, laughter is worth intentionally nurturing for a month in Spring for a few reasons.
First, it helps ease the stress and cut through the tension. There’s something about physically laughing that physically releases the tension in our bodies and muscles. When that tension is released it shifts our brains to function differently. We can think more clearly, logically. We can stay present. We can see multiple sides to a situation. We can more easily see the positives.
Second, it’s a perfect focus for Springtime because it helps us transition to a more lighthearted life just like nature. The seasons change from Winter Blues to budding life.
There’s research to show a trending spike in suicides during Springtime. Surprising I know! Normally, we believe more suicides happen in the winter when it’s cold, dark, and gloomy. Lots of theories exist as to why this spike happens in the springtime. You can read more about it here.
The fact is there’s a trend. Sometimes, when you’re depressed in the winter that inexplainable sadness hangs on as everyone else around you moves on. Then the darkness grows darker. Admittedly, laughter is not a cure for this trend. However, laughter lends a helping hand to connect people in this seasonal transition. A connection can be a lifesaver.
Third, we need laughter so we can stay present. Most laughter during the day happens when we’re connecting with people. We laugh more when we’re around people more. Laughter is not always based on stand-up comedic jokes. Or perfectly timed one-liners. Instead, it is more fluid. Authentic.
Laughter is live.
It’s in the moment.
It’s bouncing off of one human to the next.
Laughter is meant to be lived not just looked upon.
Today, let’s find ourselves a little more intentional about living in the laughter. Laughing even if our eyes sweat like a pig!
So, my dear friends, what have you laughed about lately?
I’d love to hear! Send me a message, an email, a DM. Tell me your laughter. I’d love to laugh with you.
