Good humor brings a good life

“Humor is not a trick, not jokes. Humor is a presence in the world

like grace and shines on everybody.”

-- GARRISON KEILLOR

Last week, I introduced you to my friend Guy Owen. He wrote the

poem about my bicycle spills. This week, he is sharing my column.

Guy is a professional “funny man” and motivational speaker who

highly values humor in his presentations and his everyday life. He

works as a clean comedian both here and around the country.

Take it away, Guy!

Remember when the Good Humor Man rode through our neighborhoods

when we were kids? We all had our favorites: the “bullet pop,” a

“drumstick” and, my favorite, the “fudgecicle!”

I can still taste it, can still recall the sheer joy and

excitement I felt when I heard that sweet, mouth-watering, Texas

sweat-stopping music. My buddies and I froze for just an instant and

then bolted nine different ways for our moms’ purses. We had to be

quick not to miss the truck. Sadly, it seemed that every day

somebody’s mom wasn’t home, so usually at least one of us had to

watch the rest of us devour the ice cream so fast it created the

behind-the-eye brain freeze!

Don’t you wish the Good Humor Man was still around, not so much

for dispensing ice cream but for the associated feeling? As I speak

around the country, one theme that runs through my presentations is

the importance that humor plays in life. In my talk “The Seven Habits

of Totally IN-Effective People,” I always discuss the impact of not

having a sense of humor.

Having a sense of humor doesn’t mean you have to be the life of

the party or a great joke teller. A sense of humor is not a talent;

it’s an outlook. It’s taking our responsibilities seriously but

taking ourselves, and the bumps and detours of life, much more

lightly. We need to be a great parent, an indispensable employee and

a focused breadwinner for sure, but we also need to enjoy the world

God has created around and for us. And there’s some pretty funny

stuff going on.

When my sons were young and still susceptible to a father’s

embellishments, I would turn a can of soda upside down and loudly

moan, “Oh no!” When they worriedly asked,” What daddy?” I’d say,

“Look at this, they messed up and put the pull tab on the bottom of

the can. Do you guys realize how fast we have to drink this? Gather

around.”

(They finally stopped falling for it last year, which made me

proud, in a way. Of course, they’re 28 and 26, so maybe “proud” is a

stretch).

Sadly, we too often allow “life stuff” to get the best of us,

instead of fully enjoying life as God created. He created laughter

and allows plenty of shots of “Good Humor Man” adrenalin through our

system to distract us from sorrow, to pick us up, keep us going and

give us hope. So, laugh at yourself a little more often, and see if

hope doesn’t come knocking on your door.

Keillor’s words say it well. Humor and grace are available to

shine on everybody.

And you can quote us on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at

cindy@onthegrow.com or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.