The Truth Board

A Blog by the Editors of
The Truth About the Fact: An International Journal of Literary Nonfiction

My Photo
Name:
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States

The Truth About the Fact: A Journal of Literary Nonfiction is an international journal committed to the idea that excellence in the art of letters can play a vital role in transforming the planet we share.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Nothing Cures Pain Like Laughter


The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings

Sometimes in life, all you can do is laugh.

You have to laugh through the pain, the fear, and the hopelessness that is a guaranteed experience for every human being.

What else can you do?

I can’t laugh enough.

Have you ever noticed how there are so many different types of laughs?

All types of laughs are important: from the short wheezy laugh that gets caught in your throat to the deep belly laugh that releases the emotions from your soul.

I love to laugh. It is one of those rare activities that make someone feel better about themselves and more alive.

Yet, it also has its down sides. Laughter can be a cruel method for mocking or teasing a person. The sound of it can blister the ears and damage the heart.

It can be a source of pain.

I know we have all experienced that in some way. Whether it is once, twice, or a thousand times, we can never be the same after the pain.

Yet, we find different ways of consoling ourselves. For some it’s in physical activity for others it may be more of an emotional binging.

Yet, I have found that the best way to tackle pain is through laughter.

Ironic as it may seem, what better cleansing is there then to laugh about the pain that was caused by the very source of laughter?

Yes, it will hurt, yet the laughter always overpowers the hurt and pain.

Laughter is such an expressive way of exhibiting joy, nervousness, uncertainty, and countless emotions.

Yet, the beauty behind laughter is the way it can cure and soothe the soul.

Within the last few months, I have had my own issues, ranging from academic to personal. I did everything from going to the gym to praying, asking for strength, patience, and absolution.
Yet, nothing worked as strongly as laughter. When I was with other people, especially Issa (my roommate) we could not stop laughing. We reminisced about everything, from the day we first met (Freshman Orientation) to how much we were going to miss each other’s company.

One of my favorite memories with Issa is our mutual love for Special Ed. It is a cartoon show that has Ed prank call a movie theater to find out the prices of tickets. It is one of the most hysterical videos that I have seen. It makes me laugh every time and it never gets old. The dialogue and body gestures always bring a smile to my face.

There were moments that Special Ed helped me get through the rough spots and harsh times. He gave me moments of happiness, sanity, and a stronger bond with Issa.

I have learned that there are not enough moments in my life that I am laughing. I probably frown more than I laugh. I probably run more errands than I laugh.

Life is a storm and it’s in those moments that all you can do is simply laugh.

Jeninfer Ellspermann