On most days, I can hear the uproarious sound even before I turn the corner to enter the dining room of my mother’s senior residence.
I’ve learned to anticipate the laughter coming from a particular table of four older adults. Physically, they are like others at this stage of life: Two have diabetes; another has lupus. The lone male has a degenerative muscle disease. All have arthritis and problematic vision. In fact, a litany of their physical ailments is enough to make most people stay in bed and pull the covers over their heads.
But this group of seniors is a study in sacred contradiction. Though their failing bodies give them reason to be depressed, they throw back their heads instead in joyous abandonment.
Now don’t get the wrong idea. These folks are not Pollyannish in their thinking. They well understand the harsh realities that come with living long lives. But in spite of their physical challenges, they choose to laugh—even when life is hard.
I’m often surprised at the topic d’jour that flips their giggle boxes upside down.
One day I found them confessing tales of teenage rebellion. Their eyes twinkled with mischief as they shared personal accounts of climbing out of second-story windows, jumping aboard slow-moving trains and “borrowing” the family coupé. It was a show of good-natured one-upsmanship. The more absurd their tales, the more they laughed.
Another day, one of the tablemates was recounting the number of attempts she made to get out of her recliner that morning. Knowing all too well the reality their friend described, the seniors roared in support when she exclaimed, “Seven!”
They even find humor in theological discussions, delivering comical debates about whether or not Jesus will help them find misplaced keys and cordless phones.
I have noticed, too, how laughter causes a ripple effect in the room where the residents gather for meals. One funny story causes laughter to skitter across the tables like a stone across a pond. Soon the contagious sound breaks the silence into beaming smiles and lively table talk. In fact, the laughter is so intoxicating, even the few predictable grumblers find it impossible to resist.
One bitterly cold day, I asked these tablemates to share a story about winter weather. Without missing a beat, a silver-haired great-grandmother began a tale of how she once fell on icy concrete and slid all the way under a parked car. She was flat on her back, totally hidden from view. When she detailed how her befuddled husband searched for her, the group laughed so hard they literally had to put down their forks and gather a collective breath.
In that brief moment, I saw aches and pains melt away—at least for a while.
Certainly, positive laughter is God’s gift to humankind. Not sarcastic put-downs or acid-tongued jokes, but the kind of authentic laughter that gives lightness to a heavy day. This group of seniors has discovered that such laughter is sacred medicine. Salve for a weary soul.
No matter our age, we can help each other find something to laugh about. Often it just takes a nudge to get the good humor ball rolling. Story-prompters, like “Tell about a time when you...,” can unlock long-forgotten memories.
One tale leads to another, and another. Before long, the room is filled with laughter. Oh, how sweet the sound.
Ms. Buchanan, a member of FUMC Rockwall, Texas, is the author of Living With Purpose in a Worn Out Body: Spiritual Encouragement for Older Adults (Upper Room Books), due out in 2008.
© 2008 DESIGN PICS
Ms. Buchanan, a member of FUMC Rockwall, Texas, is the author of Living With Purpose in a Worn Out Body: Spiritual Encouragement for Older Adults (Upper Room Books), due out in 2008.
