| The positive and healing power of humor | | | | on! WHAT TO DO? She paced around the car, |
| cannot be measured! Humor helps to reduce | | | | and couldn't think of anything to do, except |
| stress, anxiety, and tension and that's why I | | | | to break one of the windows to get in! But, |
| use humor to get out of embarrassing | | | | she didn't want to do that, because her |
| situations, and there have been plenty in my | | | | husband would probably kill her (or worse), |
| life! I've eaten plenty of "crow," and have | | | | for doing something stupid like this! It was |
| gotten plenty of "egg on my face" too!STOP; | | | | cold outside and she had to think of |
| LOOK AND LISTEN! That's the advice I give | | | | something FAST!She looked down the highway, |
| people if they want to get more humor into | | | | and noticed there were store lights less than |
| their lives. You have to "stop and smell the | | | | a mile down the highway, maybe a gas station |
| roses," pay attention to the things around | | | | or convenience store, she hoped! (this was |
| you; and you have to be a good listener. | | | | before cell phones) So, she decided the only |
| People ask me where I get my ideas and humor, | | | | thing she could do, was to start walking to |
| and the answer is always the same: around | | | | use the phone. She figured it would take her |
| the home; around the work place, and out in | | | | about 15 minutes to walk to the store and |
| the streets, etc. I have two examples of | | | | call her husband to come and get her, so she |
| embarrassing moments I will share with you, | | | | she started walking.A few minutes after she |
| and the first one involves being a good | | | | left the scene, a police officer stopped at |
| listener.My ex-wife had a great sense of | | | | her car to check things out! What he found |
| humor, but she was not a very funny person | | | | was sure interesting. An abandoned car with |
| most of the time. She rarely came up with | | | | the engine running; the doors were locked and |
| anything funny, or if she told a joke, she | | | | the headlights were on! What was the officer |
| would usually screw it up! That's fine...I | | | | to think...foul play, perhaps? The officer |
| can't fault her for that! I screw up most of | | | | looked all around the area, to see if he |
| my jokes, too! But, she shined when she told | | | | could see anybody around, but there was |
| me the following story about what her | | | | nobody. So, he called for help for other |
| receptionist did at work one day. And, she | | | | units to join in on a search!Meanwhile (back |
| picked up on this bit of humor because she | | | | at the ranch), or at the store where Michelle |
| was LISTENING! When she told me this story, | | | | had walked to, she arrived and called her |
| I almost fell over backwards!Human | | | | husband on the phone. From the phone booth |
| ServicesThe state Department of Human | | | | she was calling from, she looked back up the |
| Services (New Mexico), which handles child | | | | highway, and noticed flashing lights near her |
| abuse cases, was quite busy on this | | | | car! The worry set in right away, that |
| particular Monday morning. Clients and | | | | something had happened to her car! She told |
| attorneys were waiting in the reception area, | | | | her husband that she would meet him at the |
| and several of the children were in the | | | | car, which was less than a mile north of the |
| nursery, and the telephones were ringing off | | | | convenience store.Worried... Michelle was in |
| the hook!The receptionist had only been on | | | | a hurry-up mode to get back to her car, after |
| the job for about a week, and as in any new | | | | seeing the flashing lights! As she walked |
| job, she was still trying to find her way | | | | faster and faster toward her car, she noticed |
| around, etc. As the morning wore on, the | | | | more flashing lights, and could hear dogs |
| office scene continued to be quite hectic! | | | | barking off in the distance, and she didn't |
| And, by mid-morning, things became a little | | | | know what to think! She then noticed a low |
| dizzying for her, as she tried to take care | | | | flying helicopter with a spotlight shining |
| of everyone's needs.About noon time...looking | | | | all over the place. "Who or what could they |
| a bit drained and overwhelmed with it all, | | | | be looking for," she thought to |
| she was overheard to answer the telephone, | | | | herself!Huffing and puffing, she continued |
| "Good morning...Human Cervixes...may I help | | | | down the highway, and she knew something was |
| you?"* * *Another | | | | not right where she left the car! As she got |
| embarrassing incident was told to me by my | | | | closer, there were more flashing lights; |
| wife, who had a friend named Michelle, and | | | | traffic backed up; the sound of barking dogs |
| the story goes something like | | | | became louder; the helicopter flying low |
| this.Stranded!It was about 9:00 in the | | | | overhead...what could be wrong?After a few |
| evening, on a cold December night, and | | | | minutes, she finally reached the scene, and |
| Michelle was on her way home from attending a | | | | as she lumbered across the highway...huffing |
| meeting at school. She was driving on the | | | | and puffing...she went up to the first police |
| outskirts of town where she lived, when she | | | | officer she saw and said, "Hello, |
| noticed and felt something was not right with | | | | officer...my name is Michelle, and that's my |
| the front end of the car! She didn't know if | | | | car parked over there. I locked myself out; |
| a tire was going to blow out or just what the | | | | left the engine running and the headlights on |
| problem was, etc.So, she pulled off the | | | | and went for help. Is there anything wrong?* |
| highway to take a look. She got out of the | | | | * *Life's embarrassing |
| car and went around to the passenger side to | | | | moments! We all suffer from them! If you |
| check things out and she saw nothing unusual. | | | | have an embarrassing incident happen to you, |
| So, she went back to get into the car to | | | | try to capture it on paper or on film. As |
| continue on her way home. There was only one | | | | the experts say, having the ability to laugh |
| problem. SHE LOCKED HERSELF OUT OF THE CAR! | | | | at ourselves, at all the crazy things we all |
| OOPS! Michelle had a big problem! She also | | | | do, CAN BE HEALTHY! |
| left the engine running and the headlights | | | | |