The Giggling Scholar

On our family's Christmas card ages ago, my mother gave everyone in my family a fun name. For example, my brother's name was "head of covert operations" because he was constantly devising mischievous little plans to steal food from the cupboard or flood the bathroom with two inches of water. My siblings all had similar personality appropriate names. My name was the Giggling Scholar because I was infamous for laughing hysterical at any joke, even if it wasn't very funny. Every once in awhile, my family still like to laugh about the name. This is one of many inside jokes I share with my family. There are ones I share with my friends too, and if anyone mentions, "a pet cemetery" "Cheezit Scrabble" or "Popcorn", my friends and I automatically roll into giggles. These words trigger great memories of awkward, stupid, or funny situations that we've shared together.
From inside jokes to puns to funny situations, humor is definitely something I find very important in my life. First off, I've formed great friendships over humor. The "Cheezit Scrabble" joke, for instance, marked the firm beginning of one of my most cherished friendships. Other similar instances have strengthen my relationships with my friends in much the same way that shared interests or similar talents bring people together. Humor helps diffuse awkward situations, and humorous memories connect people in a way that not much else can.
Humor also helps me keep perspective in life. I come from a big family of seven. Life is... well, crazy. With so many people in one house, it's a daily struggle to balance conflicting schedules while still keeping everyone fed, clothed, and happy. Sometimes, we mess up. We use somebody else's toothbrush, or "accidently" eat our mom's secret stash of dark chocolate, or walk out of the house wearing a sibling's shirt. In the face of these potentially contentious situations, we all try and just laugh. It's the only thing that keeps our crazy family sane.
Finally, humor helps bring joy into other people's lives. Anyone who has hung around little kids a lot knows that a funny face or a weird sound effect can switch a child's mood from pouty to giggly instantly. When humor is used positively, it brightens lives and widens smiles. Laughter really is the best medicine!
So today? Find something to laugh about. More importantly, find someone you can laugh with.