The Ultimate Warrior and Me

There's nothing like a good laugh. It tickles our very souls. Laughter is an activity of the heart. We scrunch our souls with negativity and lack of enthusiasm, but laughter smoothes them out. Laughter makes a noise so others can hear our feelings.

“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” -Dale Carnegie

Joy is a state of mind. It really is an attitude that keeps us healthy. We are all born with sense of humor, but it is a gift we must develop as we age. This process does not end until death. The payoff for developing a sense of humor is that we simultaneously opt for healthy and wellness.

That's what this blog series is all about. It's about joy, laughter and humor. It's about alternatives to help us live happier lives and help those around us enjoy us even more. It's about filling our hearts with life. It's about wrinkling our faces with smiles and not letting our souls dry up like prunes.

It's time we looked for smiles, joy, laughter and happiness. No one needs to look for sadness; it has a strange way hitting us right in the face. Everyone has a horror story to tell or a crisis to relate. Maybe we got so bogged down in our tough times that we forget there is always another side we can look at. Or perhaps it's fear that no one will think we're important enough or think we need them that leads to hold on to our heavy, sad and depressing stories.

Joy can lighten our environment. Joy frees us to breath more easily and see things clearly. Joy lets oxygen into our blood and to our brains. When that happens, we begin to think differently. We can be healthier and more relaxed people. The Jesuit theologian Teilhard de Chardin wrote, "Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God." Perhaps we begin to see this presence of God in one another: if we did, then we would start to treat each other in a kinder, thoughtful and more respectful way.

And it all starts with "you" - the person you look at in the mirror! Because joy is not really "doing"; it's really more like "being". Many people have not learned the importance of taking care of themselves. We give others endless hours of our time. We begin to stutter when we have to say "no". However, if we don't care of ourselves, we can never begin truly to pay attention to our minister to anyone else. This is no way implies that we become self-centered or selfish. Rather, it means that if we do not have a respect for ourselves and a healthy sense of self-importance, then it is nearly impossible for us to develop a respect and healthy sense of importance for others.

One way to begin to take care of ourselves is to laugh. If we think about it, humor is a pretty cheap remedy. It costs nothing, and the results are fantastic. We don't need to go to a physician and seek a prescription. All we need to do is to change some negative perceptions and attitudes. And train oneself to relax.

If only it were that easy! Still, we are going to use up energy one way or another, so why not make the choice that has positive payoffs? Humor releases the same endorphins that jogging does, so we get a natural high without having to purchase new running shoes and clothing. Perhaps the most consoling piece of information is that we don't have to jar our knees or ankles or hurt any muscles or major organs to enjoy this surge of positive feeling.

Humor heals and relaxes. It renews the joy that gets hammered out of us by life's daily shocks. Humor gives us power. We often cannot control our response. Instead of discouragement or despair, we can claim power.

The image we have of ourselves and the image others perceive are so important. I wonder how often we see others as the Ultimate Warrior, and how often others see us as the Ultimate Warrior.

Check yourself in the mirror. How much war paint do you wear? Do you like you would more eagerly hand out chokeholds than hugs?