July 9, 2010

“My doctor told me I need to go get a stress test. So just for the record, if something ever happens to me, I don’t want any of you guys giving me mouth to mouth.”

“That is the first directive you’ve ever made that I can fully support.”

As we age, we talk (and joke) a bit more about our frailties, and our mortality.  We begin to recognize that there is an established pattern for testing and preventative measures.

A recent conversation was started by a colleague who has experienced some heart problems.  With great timing and delivery, he put us all on notice, “My doctor told me I need to go get a stress test. So just for the record, if something ever happens to me, I don’t want any of you guys giving me mouth to mouth.”

Several chuckles followed; however, it was the retort from across the table that generated the most laughter.  A friend affirmed that he got the message with this reply, “That is the first directive you’ve ever made that I can fully support.”

Laughter is a great elixir to so much that might ail us.  With so much talk of disease and the spread of the virus du jour, it just might be best spread a different contagion:  laughter.  All of us face serious concerns that create stress and promote feelings of worry and anxiety.  While not all illnesses can be cured, their associated burdens can be momentarily lifted with a light-hearted attitude. 

Perhaps best of all, laughter is a remedy that needs neither prescription nor advanced directives.    

Craig Halsey

They Said It

July 9, 2010