I had coffee with a bunch of kindy mums this morning, lovely ladies all of them. There was lots of chitchat and lots of laughter, and one of them kept telling me how funny she thought I was. Which was funny, I thought.
I was kind of the class clown in primary school. I was the kid who carried a joke book and tried them out on whoever cared to listen. I also liked to explain the punchline. You know, "Because there was something on the other side of the road that he needed." I can see now how relentlessly irritating it must have been for my parents, but at the time I just thought it was funny.
'Cause there's nothing quite like a good laugh. I had a bloody good giggle on Saturday night. After a night out with friends in Sydney, and one or two glasses of bubbles, I caught a cab back with the pal who was putting me up for the night. Earlier on we'd been chuckling as she held the menu out at arm's length, having forgotten her reading glasses. The subject of ageing and failing eyesight was a topic of much discussion and mirth. On arriving home, she leaned in so close to the lock in order to see where to put the key, it set me off. We giggled and giggled and giggled. And stopped. And giggled some more. Her husband must have thought we were bonkers, or drunk.
Some of my best giggly fits are with my sisters, which makes sense. We share genetics and a common upbringing, so we no doubt share our sense of humour. I think we're all pretty good at finding the funny side of a dark situation. Perhaps some time I'll tell you the tale of the day we sprinkled my mum's ashes at sea. It was one of the saddest, most beautiful and most sublimely ridiculous days of my life.
Because in the end, you have to laugh, don't you? In all the whirling confusion, the often relentless challenge, the occasional pockets of despair, there must be something funny to grab onto. A wry smile at the irony. A nervous chuckle at something quite black. Or a late night giggle fit over something as silly as a key in a lock.
You have to laugh.
* That's the sound of someone laughing their head off, don't you know?
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I love those silly, crazy, moments where even once you think you have composed yourself, your friends smirk is enough to set you off again. You do have to laugh and your posts often make me laugh. :)
ReplyDeletethanks for the laugh greer! your post made me giggle x
ReplyDeleteI love that giddy, giggling feeling!
ReplyDeleteI still remember my first night out with my friends after having Toddler C...I had that exact feeling and was in the middle of telling a story when I started laughing and then laughed so hard I cried. It wasn't a very funny story but I was just so full of glee that I was enjoying time with my friends that I couldn't help myself! My friends at first thought I was having some sort of post baby breakdown but then when they realised I was having the time of my life, they joined in laughing and crying!
Whenever one of us mentions this night we still get the giggles!
You either laugh or cry is my motto. Laughter usually wins out. This reminds me of the time my friend and I tried to move her fish tank - every single time we tried to lift it we burst into laughter and had to abandon the lift. Took about 20 times. In our world it was the funniest thing ever. Thanks for the reminder :-)
ReplyDeleteYes yes and yes. I don't laugh anywhere near as much as I used to and that's because my sister lives in Perth. We giggle like a couple of school girls and we're both in our thirties and I know we'll still be giggling in our sixties. I miss her and I'm always on the look out for people who will make me laugh so hard I almost want to pee (did that once too!). x
ReplyDeletetry parenting an angel with sms and also ageing! if i didnt laugh i would jump off a bridge, some days those are really the only 2 options on offer! Today has been such a day! x
ReplyDeleteSounds like your pal and you had a great night off. I love sharing a good laugh with my friends.
ReplyDeletePS: I'm currently hosting a new Fitskin giveaway, open to Australian residents only and I hope you will enter! http://www.underlockandkeyblog.com/2013/03/fitskin-naturally-review-and-giveaway.htm
It's why I read your blog (although I rarely comment, tsk tsk...) - I absolutely love the humour you often weave into your words. I've always been a giggle pot and was constantly removed from the class in high school for 'disrupting the other students'. I think every teacher on my report card wrote I was an exceptional student but 'laughed too much'. I don't think it's possible to laugh too much! This post of yours has made me realise how these days I don't laugh nearly as often as I should... I really need to fix that!
ReplyDeleteit's just THE BEST bloody medicine EVER! I was laughing just at the sentence about your sisters - thinking instantly about the laughing fits I have had with my sisters, when you cannot physically speak, tears rolling down your face, crouched over holding your tummy because it hurts so much - THE BEST! your humour is something that attracted me straight away, greer. the dry humour.. my cup of tea ;) x
ReplyDeletelife's not worth much if you can't find at least a glimmer of a silver lining in everything!!! love your sense of humor!
ReplyDeleteYes. Yes, you do have to laugh. Often in a particularly trying situation with the kids, one friend will say - you have to laugh, don't you, or else you will cry - and it's true. Parenting in particular seems to test one's strength, patience and resolve to the absolute limits. x
ReplyDelete