A marriage without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs - jolted by every pebble in the road.-Henry Ward Beecher
It's not scripture. Or Shakespeare. But the pith of it resonates for me. Laughter has rescued us from banal arguments, and the black hole of self absorption.
On occasion our children provided the levity. It is hard to stay focused on being irritated when your baby pretends to drink the soapy bathwater, just to get a rise out of you. One time my toddler's diaper sank to the ground just as I was revving up to complain to John. It was of course a commentary on the sloppiness of my pinning, which added to the ridiculousness.
Sometimes John will lob a pun into the melee of dinner conversation. Or I will share a video of a cockatoo jamming to Elvis. These small gestures loosen the tension that can accumulate from the ordinary friction of shared living.
My Uncle Donald told me that there is more humor in the Bible than is evident at first blush. I recall that Isaac's name means laughter, and the prospect of his birth made his ninety year old mother giggle. It helps to believe that God enjoys life, and gifts us with the capacity to be playful.
Benjamin has good timing, and can plant a riddle in the middle of a stale afternoon. Here is one.
Which state sells the smallest soft drinks?
Minnesota.
Love,
Lori
www.caringformarriage.org
photo by Andy Sullivan
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