Life could be severe yet it is too short to be taken seriously. Oftentimes, we are overwhelmed by grief, despair and rage as a result of the daily stresses we experience. And stress can be detrimental to psychological well-being and, eventually to physical health. The popular adage says that “Laughter is the best medicine”. Indeed, the power of humor can not be underestimated.
The following anecdotes are from personal recollection. These are the thoughts that made me laugh even during hard times. Are you stressed-out? Read aloud and laugh hard. It works!
CHEAPSKATE DAD
This is sort of a ‘memorial’ anecdote to my late father. This happened to him in the late 70’s. We were laughing hard when he first told this over dinner the day it happened.
After my father’s car air-conditioning system broke down, he got used to driving with the windows open. One day, as he stopped for a red light, a beggar approached him. He handed the poor man 25 centavos. The beggar, in his dismay, started to grumble for the measly amount my father gave him. As the lights turned green, he just shouted after my father, “Loser!”
The following anecdotes are from personal recollection. These are the thoughts that made me laugh even during hard times. Are you stressed-out? Read aloud and laugh hard. It works!
CHEAPSKATE DAD
This is sort of a ‘memorial’ anecdote to my late father. This happened to him in the late 70’s. We were laughing hard when he first told this over dinner the day it happened.
After my father’s car air-conditioning system broke down, he got used to driving with the windows open. One day, as he stopped for a red light, a beggar approached him. He handed the poor man 25 centavos. The beggar, in his dismay, started to grumble for the measly amount my father gave him. As the lights turned green, he just shouted after my father, “Loser!”
ELECTRICAL SHOCK
I was personally witnessed to this anecdote when it happened at my aunt’s house during the early 80’s. Even now, my aunt and I still laugh at this recollection.
Seeing the electric fan had gathered dust in the living room, my aunt ordered her maid to have it cleaned. She left her maid to do the chore until she came back to check her out. To her horror, the maid was indeed cleaning the electric fan soaked in a tub of soap and water!
A SHAMEFUL SILENCE
The aggressiveness of youth can be inspiring, intimidating and sometimes, embarrassing as in the case of what happened to my classmate during our college years. This anecdote happened the semester after my classmate took a workshop on sign language the previous summer. It was so embarrassing that he made me promise not to tell anyone. Keeping my promise, I am sharing this withholding his identity.
On board a bus to the university, my classmate sat between a man and a woman. After a while, the man suddenly tapped his forearm. He turned to the man who without a word, only with a gesture, wanted to know the time. My classmate then turned his wristwatch towards the man. After a glance, the man nodded with a smile as a gesture of thanks. They both settled quietly back to their own privacy until my classmate had the interest to converse with the man. Since he just finished a basic course on sign language the summer before that semester, this is his opportunity to try his new skill. There was a startled look at the man’s face as he started signing with his hands. The man in panic suddenly turned to the woman on the other side of my classmate. While shaking his head, the man uttered in the most audible voice, “Excuse me ma’m, but this deaf-mute young man seems to need some help. Could you help me know what he wants?”
I was personally witnessed to this anecdote when it happened at my aunt’s house during the early 80’s. Even now, my aunt and I still laugh at this recollection.
Seeing the electric fan had gathered dust in the living room, my aunt ordered her maid to have it cleaned. She left her maid to do the chore until she came back to check her out. To her horror, the maid was indeed cleaning the electric fan soaked in a tub of soap and water!
A SHAMEFUL SILENCE
The aggressiveness of youth can be inspiring, intimidating and sometimes, embarrassing as in the case of what happened to my classmate during our college years. This anecdote happened the semester after my classmate took a workshop on sign language the previous summer. It was so embarrassing that he made me promise not to tell anyone. Keeping my promise, I am sharing this withholding his identity.
On board a bus to the university, my classmate sat between a man and a woman. After a while, the man suddenly tapped his forearm. He turned to the man who without a word, only with a gesture, wanted to know the time. My classmate then turned his wristwatch towards the man. After a glance, the man nodded with a smile as a gesture of thanks. They both settled quietly back to their own privacy until my classmate had the interest to converse with the man. Since he just finished a basic course on sign language the summer before that semester, this is his opportunity to try his new skill. There was a startled look at the man’s face as he started signing with his hands. The man in panic suddenly turned to the woman on the other side of my classmate. While shaking his head, the man uttered in the most audible voice, “Excuse me ma’m, but this deaf-mute young man seems to need some help. Could you help me know what he wants?”
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