When we look at all the benefits of humor in our lives it is easy to see that it is a good thing.
Science has discovered that it is healthy to laugh and have a sense of humor.
We actually live longer in most cases.
We need to condition ourselves to laugh and see humor, because the world has conditioned us to be serious and negative.
When we were small we were told not to laugh in school, in church, at the dinner table, in front of company and so on.
I was in the broadcast news business for years and as you know there is precious little to smile about in the news these days.
The need for humor is everywhere.
I started looking for humor and guess what; I found it.
Just look at the people around you, watch them and listen to them.
Regardless of where you are from you'll find something to chuckle about.
I live in a little town down south that is little more than a wide place in the road.
And an old boy by the name of Cletus is our town entrepreneur, always looking for a way to make a fast buck.
Recently he took a CPR class and decided he was now qualified to give people medical advice, for a fee of course.
So he set up his little office in back of the muffler shop and started charging people for his advice.
He said, "Why go to big city doctors when you can just come see me and save all that money.
I'm cheaper and I can give you a discount on your muffler job!" It wasn't long, however, before people started catching on.
He told one customer with a bad cough to take a half a box of Ex-Lax.
"You'll be afraid to cough!" Another person with high blood pressure was told to cut himself and let it bleed for a few minutes.
"It's good for you and it'll reduce the pressure in your veins.
Of course, don't forget to set the timer!" Old Cletus is a few peas short of a casserole, but he's always good for a laugh.
And he's always looking for ways to beat people out of their hard earned money.
We get a lot of Yankee tourists in our little town outside Nashville and Cletus decided one time that he had a sure fire way to pick up a few bucks.
He put up a big sign that read, "Stop Here and See Where Elvis Is Buried!" I said, "Cletus, Elvis is buried in Memphis!" He said, "He is not.
He's buried right out there behind the muffler shop and Yankees want to see it.
He was in here having his muffler changed when he asked to use the bathroom and the next thing I know Elvis had left the building! Yes sir, Yankee money is good money!" "And he's buried out back you say?" I asked.
"Yes sir, we didn't make no big deal over it, we just buried him.
Most people don't know this story, but it's time the Yankees knew the truth.
And for a few more dollars I'll show them his old muffler!" Yes, life never gets dull around folks like Cletus.
If nothing else he does cause us to laugh.
Find the funny side of life wherever you are, and never underestimate the power of humor.
We need it.
In fact we must have it to survive.
Science has discovered that it is healthy to laugh and have a sense of humor.
We actually live longer in most cases.
We need to condition ourselves to laugh and see humor, because the world has conditioned us to be serious and negative.
When we were small we were told not to laugh in school, in church, at the dinner table, in front of company and so on.
I was in the broadcast news business for years and as you know there is precious little to smile about in the news these days.
The need for humor is everywhere.
I started looking for humor and guess what; I found it.
Just look at the people around you, watch them and listen to them.
Regardless of where you are from you'll find something to chuckle about.
I live in a little town down south that is little more than a wide place in the road.
And an old boy by the name of Cletus is our town entrepreneur, always looking for a way to make a fast buck.
Recently he took a CPR class and decided he was now qualified to give people medical advice, for a fee of course.
So he set up his little office in back of the muffler shop and started charging people for his advice.
He said, "Why go to big city doctors when you can just come see me and save all that money.
I'm cheaper and I can give you a discount on your muffler job!" It wasn't long, however, before people started catching on.
He told one customer with a bad cough to take a half a box of Ex-Lax.
"You'll be afraid to cough!" Another person with high blood pressure was told to cut himself and let it bleed for a few minutes.
"It's good for you and it'll reduce the pressure in your veins.
Of course, don't forget to set the timer!" Old Cletus is a few peas short of a casserole, but he's always good for a laugh.
And he's always looking for ways to beat people out of their hard earned money.
We get a lot of Yankee tourists in our little town outside Nashville and Cletus decided one time that he had a sure fire way to pick up a few bucks.
He put up a big sign that read, "Stop Here and See Where Elvis Is Buried!" I said, "Cletus, Elvis is buried in Memphis!" He said, "He is not.
He's buried right out there behind the muffler shop and Yankees want to see it.
He was in here having his muffler changed when he asked to use the bathroom and the next thing I know Elvis had left the building! Yes sir, Yankee money is good money!" "And he's buried out back you say?" I asked.
"Yes sir, we didn't make no big deal over it, we just buried him.
Most people don't know this story, but it's time the Yankees knew the truth.
And for a few more dollars I'll show them his old muffler!" Yes, life never gets dull around folks like Cletus.
If nothing else he does cause us to laugh.
Find the funny side of life wherever you are, and never underestimate the power of humor.
We need it.
In fact we must have it to survive.