Friday, May 09, 2008
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LAUGH
Many years ago, Norman Cousins was diagnosed as terminally ill. He was given six months to live. His chance for recovery was one in 500.
He could see the worry, depression and anger in his life contributed to, and perhaps helped cause, his disease. He wondered, If illness can be caused by negativity, can wellness be created by positivity He decided to make an experiment of himself.
Laughing was one of the most positive activities he knew. He rented all the funny movies he could find - Keaton, Chaplin, Fields, the Marx Brothers. (This was before VCRs, so he had to rent the actual films.) He read funny stories. He asked his friends to call him whenever they said, heard or did something funny.
His pain was so great he could not sleep. Laughing for 10 solid minutes, he found, relieved the pain for several hours so he could sleep. He fully recovered from his illness and lived another 20 happy, healthy and productive years. (His journey is detailed in his book, Anatomy of an Illness.) He credits visualization, the love of his family and friends, and laughing for his recovery.
Some people think laughing is a waste of time. It is a luxury, they say, a frivolity, something to indulge in only every so often. Nothing could be further from the truth. Laughing is essential to our equilibrium, to our well-being, to our aliveness. If we're not well, laughing helps us get well; if we are well, laughing helps us stay that way.
Since Cousins' ground-breaking subjective work, scientific studies have shown that laughter has a curative effect on the body, the mind and the emotions. So, if you like laughing, consider it sound medical advice to indulge in it as often as you can. If you don't like laughter, then take your medicine - laugh anyway.
Use whatever makes you laugh - movies, sitcoms, Monty Python, records, books, New Yorker cartoons, jokes, friends.
Give yourself permission to laugh - long and loud and out loud - whenever anything strikes you as funny. The people around you may think you're strange, but sooner or later they'll join in even if they don't know what you're laughing about.
Some diseases may be contagious, but none is as contagious as the cure. . . laughter.
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Comments (22)
Wonderful post.... Now the every smiling and laughing me got one more reason to laugh more.. aha
The Signature Of A True Human Is The Smile He/She Brings On The Face Of Others.
LonelyPoet
this lesson i really do need to learn
i laugh but not often enough and not lately for some reason.
Happy Mother's Day weekend have a good one. Judi
Wow that's amazing! I can't believe that but it seems like laughter does help. The bible says that laughter is good medicine. I believe that's in proverbs so it is definately possible that it could've helped with his cure. But that's great that helped him get well and he was able to live through that and beat the odds. That is a blessing and a testimony. Praise God. Thanks for sharing...this is interesting. Have a great and blessed Mother's Day weekend!
This was a great post. I LOVE to laugh. Big hearty laughs too. I laugh over everything, yes I am easily amused....
I always like to be around young people. There is always fun and laughter. They keep my spirit young. :P
I also admire old people who can see the humor in ordinary things.
Have a nice time!
@poetrybox - I was knowing you will like this post, :) your signature at the end also says about smile.
@NightlyDreams - I hope now you will increase your laugh.....I love to laugh even on silly things!
@Rchick2006 - Happy Mother day to you also. I am glad that you liked this post. It was also surprised when first time I read it. I read somewhere - never forget to pass smile to others, may be he/she is struggling a lot and he/she needs it. Thanks for stopping-by!
@ravensgift - Thanks! I also love to laugh. Me too..... :)
@Sannya - Thanks Sanya! There are so many things from which we can get the reason to laugh. Don't know why sometimes we confine ourselves? Take care.
Laughter heals many ills. Great post. Judi
@ReachOutToHeaven - Thank you... by the way the post before my latest poem is much more general than targeted at anyone.
The Signature Of A True Human Is The Smile He/She Brings On The Face Of Others.
LonelyPoet
Thats so true...and it did touch my heart....
Have u read Poems of Gitanjali...(not rabindranath s) its written by a girl from gujarat who died when she was 16....
i suggest u to read once...
Take care...
God Bless You !
nice words on the card
@poetrybox - No, I am not saying that you want to target anyone...........but I felt like that. Sometimes you feel that some words are written for you only!
@a_young_loner - Thanks. I am glad that you liked it.
a few of the poems u can find in this link...
http://www.jncasr.ac.in/eobu/sdey_homepage/gitanjali/sld002.htm
Always a great Post.........Lots of love.
@a_young_loner - Hey, Thanks...........I read it, they are really touchy! Thanks so much for the link.
@oh_mother_may_I - Thanks dear for your kind words. Hope you are doing fine.