Can Humor Save Us?
Did you see the video circulating of Jerry Seinfeld’s Duke Commencement Address? It’s very much worth 16 minutes of your time to watch it. And after you watch it, perhaps share it with someone you love, or, better yet, someone that you have been struggling to connect with. The wisdom in this speech is simple yet transformative. Especially, Seinfeld’s final, and most important message to the students: “Don’t lose your humor.”
Not enough of life makes sense for you to be able to survive it without humor… It is worth the sacrifice of the occasional discomfort to have some laughs.
We, on the GWL podcast team, have been talking about the importance of humor a lot lately. And we have some amazing episodes on the way where this topic is front and center. While you wait for those… please enjoy this video and let us know in the comments section how you might take Jerry’s advice to heart and bring a bit more laughter into your lives.
Something that caught my attention was a line by Sascha Bailey (son of the famous photographer David Bailey) who was on the verge of transitioning but while waiting for an NHS appointment, met his to-be partner, told her of his plan to transition, then according to him “She repeated back my reasoning to me and I just started laughing. It all unravelled from that point.” Not sure what to make of this - maybe that if you’ve lost your ability to laugh at things, you’re not thinking straight
I, too, have been known to fall in love with small, seemingly inconsequential objects! I love the humor advice, it’s so true, but I am also happy for the reminder of finding that love and joy for simple things. A tulip in the garden, an incredible cup of coffee, the smell of fresh rain in springtime. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the big dramas. And we do need that passion, too. But, sometimes, it’s nice to settle into the beautiful, perfect, joyful little things.