…it might just be the medicine you need!
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
The previous article on laughter was mostly from my own perspective. So, this Monday’s offering is from the perspectives of others on how they feel about laughter. Enjoy!
“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” – entertainer Victor Borge
“If somebody makes me laugh, I’m their slave for life.” – entertainer Bette Midler
“Humor allows us to approach threatening subjects in a non-threatening way. Most people find it difficult to receive information from someone who has little or no sense of humor.” – Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
“Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not.” – statesman, playwright Vaclav Havel
“If you ask me, I think it is often just as sacred to laugh as it is to pray or preach or witness. We have been misled by a twisted, unbalanced mind if we have come to think of laughter and fun as being carnal or even questionable.” – preacher, author Chuck Swindoll,
“What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul.” – Yiddish Proverb
“Humor is a language everyone can understand. It breaks down barriers between people. If you can share a laugh with someone, you’ve connected with that person. Humor is like laughing gas. You won’t stay in the chair and allow a dentist to drill away on a root canal unless you’re hopped-up with anesthetic. Humor is the anesthetic that allows us to drill away at the abscessed areas of another person’s life.” – Evangelist, humorist, author Jim Watkins.
“Research shows that when people laugh together, they not only enjoy themselves, but they are more receptive to new ideas.” – Outreach Comedy Ministry (anonymous)
Earlier this year, I spent a week with some dear friends, one of whom was Dr. Edward Myers; you know him as Doc. Our friendship dates to the early 1970’s. Over the course of five decades, our lives, and the lives of the other people with us, have seen good times (victories), bad times (defeats), sad times (loss of loved ones) and just about any other kind of time. If you are curious about what transpired during that week in Dallas, TX, ask Doc. NO, never mind, I’ll tell you what we did. We laughed!
We reminisced and we laughed. We told and re-told stories and we laughed. Sometimes a re-told story actually matched the real version and we laughed. We enjoyed great meals, we met new people, we renewed our friendships, we affirmed our common faith in Jesus, we prayed, and we laughed. Boy, did we laugh!
Whatever neurochemicals (endorphins, dopamine, etc.) laughter is supposed to release did their job and did it well. We all left Dallas refreshed and re-energized. When you see Doc, ask him if he did much laughing in Dallas. He may answer by laughing!
Take time to share time with a good friend and laugh. Watch a silly, goofy movie and laugh. And always remember, you are greatly loved!
–Jackie Chesnutt, Chaplain and Emotional Support Coach for Myers-Davis (3/23/2026)
