JANUARY 24
That day is lost on which one has not laughed.
—FRENCH PROVERBEven now—maybe especially now—we need humor in our
lives. A little comic relief can relieve the tension, save the
day.
I remember sitting with my sisters and brother in a small
waiting room as my father slept away closer to death, and
my brother regaled us with a comic conversation he had
overheard. He not only lightened the moment, but acknow-
ledged the strength of the bond among us that, in this ex-
tremity, we could trust one another enough to laugh.
I remember a cake brought to our family in the aftermath
of a death—a cake so dense that it was characterized by our
scientist son as a “neutron star cake.” It was eaten with af-
fection and gratitude—a gratitude not only for the cake, but
also for the moment of relief and levity it provided.
I remember a small nephew giving an unwittingly hilari-
ous imitation of a bereaved uncle, groaning as he wobbled
to his feet.
Disrespectful? Unkind? No. They were blessed moments
of saving laughter in a grief-laden day.
Hurray for laughter. Lead me to it!