Some weeks, it’s not easy to find something to laugh about. Let’s face it, there’s not much out in the world to make us laugh — except cat videos. That’s probably why something like 50 percent of the videos we watch online are cats either doing ridiculous things or being humiliated by their humans, for our enjoyment. The daily news is so awful that more Americans get their information from satirical news shows like the Daily Show and Last Week Tonight than from actual news stations. I suppose that if we have to listen to the horrors that are occurring all around us, at least we can laugh at the hilarious skewering of a politician who said something extra-stupid about it.
And politics… Oh, politics. How can we do anything but laugh at you? The only other alternative is to pack up and go live in a cave. No matter what side you support (or do not support), there is mudslinging, name calling and otherwise distasteful behavior that makes me wonder how anything gets done. Ever. The whole enterprise is one huge joke that has no punchline.
Then there’s family life. Being married and raising children is hardly a laughing matter. All of the people in my home are constantly testing the boundaries of my sanity. They are to blame for every gray hair, every worry line and every exclamation of, “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” that I have blasphemed in the last two decades.
I’m no stranger to the darker side of life. My teen years were a pretty dark span of misery and depression. I know, most teen years are a pretty dark span of misery and depression. However, mine went a little deeper, requiring multiple doctors and a few hospitalizations. Clinical depression was a dark cloud that swallowed me up. It took a tremendous effort to fight my way back to the living.
Recently, I was discussing marriage and parenting with a mental health professional. She told me that she didn’t know how I did it all. My reply was, “I don’t really have a choice,” to which she said, “Yes, but you don’t have to do it well.”
Aside from being flattered, I was a little dumbfounded. Is there another way to take care for your family? I laughed a little and said, “Well, it doesn’t serve anyone to do it poorly.”
But it made me think. Most days, I’m just treading water and there is no time to think. I’m just proud of myself for staying out of the mental hospital for one more day. So what would make a trained professional consider my family some kind of success? My first thought is that there must be something I’m not telling her, because seriously, we’re kind of a wreck. But my second thought is that it might be because we laugh pretty much every single day. No matter what.
When I met Brian, I was still dealing with quite a few demons. I rarely laughed. I had pretty much given up on laughing, considering it a carefree gift of youth that dries up with age. And suddenly, there was this ridiculous man in front of me, making a joke of nearly everything. I found myself craving his company and the infectious joy that came with it. I was drawn to the lightness I felt when he was around.
And yet, I wondered what the hell was so funny. How could he just keep smiling, in the face of so much misery? Didn’t he understand that the world was a painful place, filled with death, hatred and injustice?
I can’t tell you exactly when I finally understood. It just sort of seeped into my life, this gift of lightheartedness. And it is a gift. Because I can promise you that my husband saw more suffering and pain than any person should in the first two decades of life. But somehow, he figured out what I was never able to, through all my years of intense therapy.
The only way to survive this ridiculous roller coaster that is life is to laugh. Whenever possible, laugh. Laugh loudly, obnoxiously and inappropriately. Laugh when there’s nothing left in the tank and you’re running on fumes. Laugh when it hurts to breath. Laugh when you think no one is looking and especially when the whole world is watching. Laugh when you succeed. Most importantly, laugh when you fail so badly that you can’t imagine ever trying again.
There is a certain magic that comes with the ability to find humor in everything. Life used to weigh on me like an oversized wooden cross that I thought was mine alone to bear. But when I laughed so hard that I had to worry about peeing my pants, I couldn’t hold up that stupid cross anymore.
So each week, I write down the ridiculous story of my life. I call out my husband and his antics and I try really hard not to embarrass the bajesus out of my kids, while still pointing out their amazing ability to do idiotic things on a regular basis. I write it down so I can laugh. And by extension, I hope that you, too, laugh.
I hope you laugh when I tell you that Brian left a wet towel on the bed (again) and I might suffocate him with it. I hope you giggle when you I tell you that my head might explode the next time I find dirty underwear still connected to the pants they were worn under. And I hope you nearly pee your pants when you see the picture of me after I let my 6-year-old child experiment with her new face paints on her mom.
Life likes to laugh at us, so why not laugh back?
And when your husband leaves the towel on the bed long enough to encourage mildew growth, you can try this non-toxic mildew killer from the Mother Nature Network.
“White vinegar is a safe, natural and very effective mold and mildew killer. A study by a microbiologist at Good Housekeeping found that vinegar is 90 percent effective against mold, and 99.9 percent effective against bacteria.
You can either soak a sponge in full-strength vinegar, or fill a spray bottle and thoroughly soak affected areas. Let it sit for a few hours, and then scrub it with a brush or a coarse scrubbing sponge.
The smell of the vinegar will dissipate within a few hours, but if it bothers you, you can simply add some of your favorite essential oils to the spray bottle to make it more pleasant. Virtually any essential oil will work, but there are some that boost vinegar’s mildew-killing power. Not only will grapefruit seed extract tone down the scent of vinegar, it has anti-fungal properties of its own, so it’s an ideal addition.
Tea tree oil may just be the greatest natural mold and mildew killer of all. While it has a strong scent and is not nearly as cheap as vinegar, it has powerful fungus-killing abilities. You can either add two teaspoons of tea tree oil to two cups of water to spray onto affected surfaces, or add a few drops to your vinegar mildew-killing solution.”
Or just beat him with the wet towel. Either one works, just in different ways.
Laurie Nigro, a mother of two, is passionate about her family, her community, and natural living. Laurie resides in downtown Riverhead and is co-founder of the River and Roots Community Garden on West Main Street.
Write to Laurie:
[contact-form-7 id=”29293″ title=”Write to Laurie”]
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.