With thanks to the wonderful Jackie Guy, to whom this post is dedicated.

Laughter. Such a wonderful word! Such a fabulous sensation! Such a tremendous feeling. Laughter, it seems to me, is almost as precious as the air we breathe… I love to laugh. How cool is it to share something funny with someone you love?  Just how GOOD does it make you feel?

And then the words we use to describe the way we laugh. Have you ever stopped to consider them? It is almost as if they were anthropomorphic or onomatopoeic. Giggle. Snigger. Chortle. Chuckle. Guffaw. Titter. Cackle. Snort. And perhaps, more loosely, making whoopee?! And the act that produces laughter? Beguilement. Pleasure. Diversion. Cheer. Gratification. Fun. Merriment. Mirth. Each one so perfectly describes the way we felt at the time. The different circumstances that have made us feel happy.

And how about the emotions we experience when we laugh? We fizz, we sparkle, we shake, we crack up. Research has shown that the health benefits of laughter are enormous. Research studies have shown that laughter can relieve pain, reduce stress, bring greater happiness, increase immunity. Positive psychology maintains that a propensity for laughter and a sense of humour is one of the 24 core signature strengths that we can possess. One study maintained that children laugh as many as 400 times per day, and adults only 15 times. That is a pretty poor effort on the adult front, don’t you think?

Consider this: laughter  increases our level of endorphins and neurotransmitters. It enhances the effect of T-cells, and encourages further growth of antibody-producing cells, strengthening the immune system. A deep belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and works the shoulders, leaving muscles relaxed and de-stressed afterward. Laughter provides both physical and emotional relief, a workout for the heart, and distracts us from any negative emotions. Most important of all, it is a sociable process, it connects us to others. Laughter’s contagious in the best of all possible ways.

My good friend, Jackie Guy, a fellow Jamaican, always has me in stitches every time I see him. Sadly, for my emotional health, this is not often enough. Happily, for the muscles in my abdomen, it is probably just as well! He always walks on the sunny side of the street, even when troubles might reasonably wear him down. He is a positive force for good!  Happily, his myriad contributions to this world of ours have recently been recognized with an MBE.

So let me leave you with a word from the great man himself. With the last joke Jackie told me.

A Jamaican was asked to distinguish between the word “finished” and the word “complete” because they were synonymous in the dictionary.

The Jamaican replied, “Well, when you find a good woman, your life is complete.”

“When you find a bad woman, you’re finished!”

“But when a good woman find you with a bad woman, your life is completely finished!”