Laurie Snider
Notes from the Nest
A funny thing happened last weekend at the Hometown Market. It was a sunny Saturday which began slightly cool but quickly warmed to t-shirt weather before the clock struck 10. A pleasant group of marketgoers was taking in the sights and sounds, as the affable vendors laid out their wares and the aroma of the free pancake breakfast wafted in the air.
My co-volunteer and I, sharing table space with the gals of Communities in Bloom, were busy giving away milkweed seeds for monarchs, to enthusiastic gardeners. “M” and I passed an agreeable few hours, sharing lighthearted conversation and information, with those who were browsing our booth.
At one point a photo was suggested. Due to the ultra sunshiny conditions I requested we take cover under the awning to avoid squinting. I remarked, how I’d been winking at “M” all morning as it was. While I’d been attempting to focus, the brilliant sunshine had been continually glaring in my eyes, making it difficult to see “M” or the patrons, without appearing somewhat cockeyed.
Shortly before our shift was over, an amiable pair of seed-seekers looked at me and with a friendly innocence, politely asked, if I was aware I was missing the lens out of one side of my glasses. Rather confounded I pulled them off, quickly affirming their keen observation.
Sure enough, as co-leader of this monarch butterfly education force, I’d been eschewing my wisdom, with one lens black as coal, keeping the sun’s rays at bay, while the lensless eye had been busy doing visual gymnastics, alternately peeping, leering and blinking. Basically, I’d spent the entire morning looking like a pirate, totally unbeknownst to me.
“M” confessed he’d noticed first thing but thought maybe I had a new prescription. The ladies in the booth shared, they thought perhaps I’d recently had surgery. Turns out Napanee is full of a multitude of good souls, who were perfectly willing to overlook my non-conformity and spare my feelings, rather than point out my unusual eyewear.
As the hilarity of the situation dawned on us, what began as a giggle soon turned into an uproarious belly-laugh! Real good for the soul, feel-good laughter!
Laughter is a powerful remedy for dealing with stress, pain and conflict. It relieves burdens, lightens loads, releases anger, inspires and spreads hope and joy. According to laughter researcher Robert Provine, you are more likely to laugh with others, than as a result of jokes. In a study of 1,200 laughing episodes, only 10 per cent were associated with jokes. Laughing binds, us together, as humans.
Adults laugh on average between 13 and 17 times a day. Although children may laugh more frequently than adults, it’s an urban myth that they laugh 300 to 400 times a day. No matter your age, laughing has many positive physical, emotional and social benefits for health.
It reduces cortisol levels, lowering stress, causing the entire body to relax, it boosts the immune system and releases endorphins helping to relieve pain. By increasing blood flow and improving blood vessel function, it helps prevent heart disease. A few daily chuckles and chortles helps with your emotional health as well, decreasing anxiety and fear and improving overall mood and sense of wellbeing. A few preliminary studies have even shown it can reduce allergic reactions, in dust mite, allergy sufferers, which is nothing to sneeze at.
Provine states, “Laughter is part of a universal human vocabulary. Everyone speaks laughter in much the same way.” Babies laugh before they learn to speak, usually around four months of age, some even younger. Even children who are born both deaf and blind can laugh, definitely a reason for rejoicing.
Humans aren’t the only mammals that enjoy a few sniggers and snickers. Many animals including gorillas, chimpanzees, dogs and dolphins make vocalizations akin to laughter.
In the 1990s Psychologist Jack Panksepp first observed that Rats emit high pitched calls during rough and tumble play and make chirping sounds when tickled by humans. Perhaps the next time you’re hankering for a little tee-hee time, you can tickle some rats, after all laughter’s contagious.
Woefully, last Saturday was not my first misadventure with my spectacles. On a number of occasions I’ve spent time fruitlessly searching for them only to discover, I’m actually wearing them. Once, after a near miss with a rogue wave on the shores of Lake Erie, I was certain I’d lost them, after falling splat in the sand. After a frantic search my amused children pointed them out … on the top of my head. Silly situations but good for a giggle or two.
Shakespeare famously said, “With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.” I have to say as long as I wear glasses I believe I’m well on my way.