Let There Be Laughter !

Long before comedy became big business and its latter day purveyors-cum-merchants began ‘hauling’ megabucks to the banks, I had learnt, even if somewhat informally, that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to break out in laughter.

Whether I have put this knowledge to the test or not does not matter at the present time. All I know is, some of us (men and women) appear to take ourselves, and by implication, our situations a little too seriously. And when this happens, what becomes of our world? We get so annoyingly uptight that we snap at each other, at every opportunity, in work places, in traffic and worse still, at home. But, what else do we have if we lose our humanity?
Truly, the times are not exactly ‘friendly’ to anyone. And I share in the truism of that motor park lingo:  ‘The streets are not smiling’. Absolutely. Indeed, for once, all Nigerians would seem to agree about the need to lug Nigeria back into a position of prosperity.
What we may not agree on, however, may be the length of time ‘we’ are spending on it, which also should answer for the toll this process of ‘rejigging’ is taking on everyone’s pocket.
Okay, so things are pretty slow. Yet, the bills are unrelenting (school fees have to be paid whether we like it or not). Yes. But, at the end of the day, only those in good health can solve problems or pay bills. Or do we need any re-orientation on the fact that laughter embodies a huge dose of therapy?
Which brings me to this question: why is it that any time there is a ‘cash crunch’ or an allied situation in the home, mirth simply disappears between certain couples? Why? Oh… the bills will always come, anyhow, irrespective of how prepared we are. So, what you feel or do not, counts for nothing.
All you are expected to do is: get the bills off the ground and life goes on!  Really, it has never mattered whether you frown or laugh to the bank when it’s time to pay school fees. Just pay and keep your child or children in school. But, while you are at it, must the world stand still? Oh come off it!
To be fair to some men, whatever happens you can trust them to always have the situation well in hand. They are the ones who still find the time to stay on top of their situations, without being robbed of their humanity. At home, work or wherever you encounter them, they share a smile and mix freely without wearing their problems on their faces like a mask.  But, a lot of women are not so persuaded. They are apt to just give their men the cold shoulders, walk around the home with such telling stiffness and carry on like they are so overwhelmed by their ‘issue’ the end of the world has come.
For me, beyond the marital vows taken by every couple, especially the part relating to staying together ‘for better or for worse, in sickness and in health’, it won’t hurt for Mr. & Mrs., who desire to scale most of life’s hurdles, to spend time sharing jokes and even learning to laugh at life, in good or bad times. This way, they can jointly hold a formidable shield up against those darts and vicissitudes when they come calling. Frankly, it is when you have built a robust sense of humour into yourselves that you can have enough to draw from when you require it to keep life going.
It is needless to begin to relate the stories of most people who have lost their lives by taking life too seriously. So, my charge to those women who despair, at the slightest hint of any stress in the home, is to go easy on the needless pressure they put their men through and consider opening their hearts and doors to laughter. It is, most certainly, a ‘stabiliser’ when all is not well.