“A Good Day is a Laugh and a Cry”

An ex-convict speaking at a prison ministry event I attended several years ago recalled that his grandmother always used to say to him that “a good day is a laugh and a cry”. I was struck by the wisdom in that observation and of how those two basic emotions become more important as we age and experience all the joys and sorrows that life has to offer.

Joy and sorrow are universally experienced and part of what makes us truly human – we all live our lives between a laugh and a tear. Both emotions are valuable because humor amplifies our sense of well-being while sorrow and grief help us to deal with the difficult times in our life.

Scientific studies have confirmed the benefits of both laughter and sorrow. Laughter has been shown to be powerful medicine because it helps lower blood pressure, reduce stress levels, fight off sickness, provide relief from chronic pain and even improve muscle tone.

Crying is also beneficial to our health in ways that are complementary to laughter (which is why most people usually feel better after a good cry). Crying can wash toxic chemicals out of our body and lift our moods by releasing psychological tension and exposing painful emotions that need to be addressed before we can move on.

Washington Irving got to the essence of why we shed tears when he wrote these words:

“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.”

This phrase also highlights that laughter and crying are not mutually exclusive. It is is important for us to recognize the humor in our life even during our moments of sorrow. One of the things I cherish most about my relationship with my wife is that In the midst of our most sorrowful moments we can also share a laugh; and in the middle of our laughter we can recognize loss and grace which can raise tears.

So, my recommendation to you is to make every day a good day and find a reason to laugh and cry. Here is one of my favorite jokes to help you get your day started with a  laugh…

Did you hear about the dyslexic, agnostic insomniac? He stayed up all night wondering if there was a dog.