The Secret to Laughter
According to A-I: “He who laughs last, laughs best” (or longest/loudest) means the person who succeeds or has control in the end wins, even if others seemed to have an advantage earlier.” (Yellow highlighting belongs to A-I.) But I read someplace that when you do or say something dumb, the secret to not having people make fun of you is to laugh at yourself first. You fall down, you get up smiling. Maybe do a little soft shoe. (As long as you’re not hurt. A friend of mine says the secret to not getting hurt is to remember to roll when you fall. If I tell her I’ve fallen, she immediately asks, “Did you remember to roll?”) My husband is the only person I know who has actually slipped on a banana peel, just like in the comic books or cartoons. I know this because I was there when it happened. He thought it was pretty funny and he laughed. So then was the rest of the family able to do so. Assuming the first laugh holds the power, if you unintentionally make what’s known as a Freudian slip when you’re talking, it’s probably better to acknowledge it, laugh about it, and move on instead of feeling awkward and embarrassed, although it’s pretty impossible NOT to feel awkward and embarrassed. I’m a prime example of speaking first and not remembering to run a filter through my brain until afterwards. I can’t control it if I blush but for the most part I can say I have learned to move on.
Photo courtesy Marys_fotos at Pixabay.com (Not me, not this Mary)
