The other day a friend and I went to the beach. She is in the middle of a very complicated and serious family crisis and has been absolutely overwhelmed by the situation. Lately when I speak to her on the phone, all I can hear is anguish in her voice no matter what the topic. She was starting to scare me, because I knew she was being eaten alive about a situation she could not change and she needed to just take care of herself.
Now I am far from an expert in taking care of myself in some ways, but in other ways I manage fairly well. And isn't it always easier to recognize issues in other people than ourselves? So I had an idea in my head that I would try to suggest something outrageous to make her laugh about the situation and hopefully it would help relieve some anxieties for her (as well as interject my own problems and ease anxiety for me!)
I think I would lose a lot in the translation but my premeditated plan worked like a charm. I had her laughing and laughing and laughing about the situation and coming up with real solutions to the problems. In this state I was able to say things to her that I had been biting my tongue at for months! And she heard them and did not get mad! I laughed my head off right along with her.
So there we were, two old friends from as far back as junior high school, sitting on the beach with the ocean lapping in front of us and laughing so hard at times not being able to stop. Laughing about life and the unfair, complicated, stressful, and sad situations that we mortal humans must learn to cope with. Laughing so hard and so deep that it just cleaned out our souls. On top of that we treated ourselves out for both lunch and dinner!
One of my favorite vacation days yet. It is just the simple things that can make a day.
Now I am far from an expert in taking care of myself in some ways, but in other ways I manage fairly well. And isn't it always easier to recognize issues in other people than ourselves? So I had an idea in my head that I would try to suggest something outrageous to make her laugh about the situation and hopefully it would help relieve some anxieties for her (as well as interject my own problems and ease anxiety for me!)
I think I would lose a lot in the translation but my premeditated plan worked like a charm. I had her laughing and laughing and laughing about the situation and coming up with real solutions to the problems. In this state I was able to say things to her that I had been biting my tongue at for months! And she heard them and did not get mad! I laughed my head off right along with her.
So there we were, two old friends from as far back as junior high school, sitting on the beach with the ocean lapping in front of us and laughing so hard at times not being able to stop. Laughing about life and the unfair, complicated, stressful, and sad situations that we mortal humans must learn to cope with. Laughing so hard and so deep that it just cleaned out our souls. On top of that we treated ourselves out for both lunch and dinner!
One of my favorite vacation days yet. It is just the simple things that can make a day.
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5 comments:
Laughter is the best medicine, so they say .... and they are right!
That sounds wonderful!!! Cathartic!! How wise you were in biding your time and place and biting your tongue.
And a healing good time was had by all!
What a good friend you are.
You are a blessing. Not many would take the time and effort to make a hurting friend laugh truly.
Hugs.
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