In Search of a Little Humor

Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” I’m not sure I need to laugh every day, but even one laugh seems hard to come by.

We’re told our country is divided. I say “told” because headline-grabbers don’t always reflect the majority they supposedly represent. So many have so little and seem locked into their poverty. People die, even those who should have had long lives.

How can we find humor in these situations and pretend we’re not affected?

Dr. Seuss tells us, “From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere.” Okay, I’m looking.

Animal antics are continually posted on Facebook and it occurred to me that most of my humor comes from family pets. Two cats…a large black male cat named Romeo and a spry, grey and white female, named Juniper…provide most of the comedy.

They dig into their toy box in he morning, pulling out their favorite toy. They hop around, throwing the catnip mouse in the air, pouncing, racing around the house, leaping over each other. It’s generally worth a good laugh.

The fish…not so much.

Fred, the bearded dragon, has entertainment value. He lifts his head. I say, “Mark, Fred lifted his head.” The lizard slowly climbs off his perch in his terrarium and slithers over to the food bowl. I say, “Mark, he’s eating. Fred’s eating.” Then he moves his head so he’s facing us. I say, “Mark, Fred’s looking at us.”

Boy, do we need a life.

Most of the films these days billed as comedies are too slapstick for my taste. But I do occasionally find a book that makes me laugh. Noted Humorist Dave Barry is generally good for a chuckle. Late night TV hosts are funny, but alas, I don’t stay up late enough to see them.

The late comedian Groucho Marx agreed that pets and books make you feel best. “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”

So I guess I’ll keep searching, adjusting my attitude as I go, hoping it’s not me being too dour to see the humor in life situations. Because as Erma Bombeck said, “When humor goes…so goes civilization,” and in the words of Mary Pettibone Poole, “He who laughs, lasts.”