L´earning to Love
Gloria Ornelas Hall
Laughter
Laughter is
contagious and is therefore a wonderful way to share happiness. It is kind to
smile, laugh and find humor in senseless contradictions and self-importance so as to make others laugh.
It releases tension. You don´t have to explain it for it is an expression in
itself. It makes thoughts real, as they physically unchain the chemical release
of endorphins and their analgesic qualities. MRI’s have proved that a smile
stimulates the centers of happiness and enjoyment in the brain, even if it is done
un-wantingly!
Laughter is a
universal expression as Charles Darwin reported in “The Expression of the
Emotions in Man and Animals” in 1872, recognized by humans all over the globe.
The zygomaticus muscle pulls the corners of the mouth, across the cheeks, from
the eyes with a contraction that makes a smile.The best face-lift we can have is a smile! Scientists initiated the study
of this human response in Stanford University under William Fry, in Gelotology
(Gr.: gelos-laughter), being a therapeutic
complement for Medicine. Paul Ekman, world expert on expressions, says there
are eighteen different types of smiles. True smiles of enjoyment are
symmetrical, with genuine spontaneity and a sparkle in the eyes. The ‘laugh
lines’ that crinkle the skin around the eyes are definite signs of
authenticity. It´s a shame we pay to have them removed!
Humor is
cultural, dependent of levels of education. Subtle associations may differ from
comedy to cynicism, depending on the outlook of life. Bitterness and pain may
ridicule innocence and folly. So what someone may find amusing may offend
someone else. But it’s still funny! We have to be able to laugh at ourselves
first, and shift the frame from which we observe and judge ourselves and others,
to minimize self-importance. Take for
example, an “opinionated” blogger who uses black comedy to make difficult or prohibited
subjects lighter, in his blog Harsh Reality, http://aopinionatedman.com/. Humor ranges
from innocence to cynicism, but in all cases it must start from being able to
laugh at ourselves. It diverts seriousness to a ‘here and now’ response.
Loving is made fun
when you can laugh together (not laughing at each other, unless you laugh at
yourself, first). Difficulties in a relationship are smoothened with a smile. Even love-making, that often entails nervousness and fear of
being ridiculous, can be made lighter if you can laugh at yourself as you try
awkward positions, or gasp for breath or are unable to get out from under
him!!!
When in doubt,
laugh. When in problems, laugh. When stressed, laugh. When worried, laugh. When in love, laugh. Life can only be explained through humor!
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