LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE!

Geri Foster

Readers, today my guest, Geri Foster, is a friend I've known for almost twenty years. In that time she has not only been a critique partner, she has brightened the lives of those around her. She's an amazing woman who does things like write kids letters from Santa each December, goes to DFW Airport to respectfully greet returning soldiers, and serves in all the writer's groups to which she belongs. She's a bundle of energy and organization. Please welcome her today.

Laugh Often

I have a sign on my kitchen wall that says, “Live Well, Love Much and Laugh Often.” I never paid much attention to that little plaque until this weekend. Then it struck home.

After a harrowing week of crazies, I went out with a few of my girlfriends over the weekend to have dinner and a few drinks. With the help of wine, margaritas, and some foo foo drink, we ended up laughing ourselves silly. For over three hours we were completely out of control and at times bordering of hysteria. We laughed about sex toys, dogs fighting, kid’s clothes, and weird people. You’d have thought we were sixteen year old girls out for the first time.

As I drove home that night, I thought why don’t we do that more often? How come we let the stupidest things in God’s creation steal our fun and our laughter? The jobs, the kids, the housework, it all robs us of who we really are. And let’s not forget the people in our lives. Sometimes it makes me want to live on an island all by myself.

Who am I kidding, I’d be nuts in a day!

Didn’t someone once say, Laughter is Good for the Soul? That proves it, even God wants us to laugh and have fun. What better fun than getting together with great friends who allow you to display your silly side without judgment?

We need to laugh more and stress less. As writers we need to recognize that life is a joke, most of the time. Why do we take ourselves so seriously? Why all the drama. And yes, wherever you have writers, you have drama! But you also have fun loving people who actually understand you.

I know, that’s scary.

I promised myself I will no longer allow small stuff and people and jobs and obligations to drive me nuts. I won’t let anything dig its claws into my time, my fun, my life or my writing. I’m going to laugh more and I’m going to appreciate the wonderful friends I have.

As women (and men) who write, let’s become better friends. Let’s smile more and crack a joke at every given opportunity. Let’s bust a gut laughing until every other person in the room turns around and gives us the stinky eye for having more fun than them. Let’s not take ourselves, and others so seriously.

I honestly think the sound of laughter is the most beautiful sound ever created by God or man. And we all have it. We all have the ability to laugh instead of cry, we have the creativity too look at all the crap around us and see the more humorous side.

I’m laughing out loud today, how about you?

Geri Foster

Geri, thanks for sharing your wonderful joy for life with us. Laughter is a good medicine, and being with friends who understand us and accept us as we are boosts our immunity at the same time we gather lasting memories. Win, win.