A service prepared for World Laughter Day. Delivered on May 5th, 2024 at the Universalist Unitarian Congregation of Waterville, Maine.

To prepare for the service, watch children laughter video:

I love pottery.

LOVE pottery. I love making it. I love watching it be made. I love shopping for it (which is why the Pottery Fest at Waterville Creates this weekend, I am turning into my own personal two day fair to attend). 

I love how pretty it is.  I love the feeling I get – and comfort I feel just holding a beautiful mug. And how unique each pieces is. 

And, I love to know who the artist is who makes each piece I see. 

Especially when I am at someone else’s home and they serve whatever liquid we are imbibing in a beautiful pottery mug with a design or glaze style new to me.

Several years ago I was at my sister’s one morning for coffee.

Our younger brother was there with us.

He and I were sitting beside each other on the stools in my sister’s kitchen, while she was on the other side of the counter preparing food for us all.

I am a lingerer when it comes to sipping my beverages.

So we were probably chatting for 20 or 30 minutes and I still had about half a cup full left of now room temperature coffee…

There was a pause in the conversation, or at least in my mind

and my ADHD brain when straight to examining the beautiful mug I was holding.

I held it up, admiring it. I commented on how gorgeous it was.

I wondered out loud who had made it…

And then, I promptly turned the mug upside down …..to look for a signature on the bottom.

In doing so, emptying the remaining contents, all over the counter and my lap.

I immediately turned to my siblings, and answered the question they did not yet have time to ask…and I said

“Because I am ridiculous”

We all laughed and laughed.

And, we still laugh about that.

Audrey Hepburn said,

“Laughter is and always will be the best form of therapy.”

I agree.

And, so does science. 

More than just therapy for our minds, laughter has positive effects on many aspects of our well-being.

In September 2023 the Mayo Clinic published an in-depth column on both the short-term and long-term benefits of laughter.

Short-term benefits

When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just 

lighten your load mentally, 

it actually induces physical changes in your body. 

Laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances 

your intake of oxygen-rich air, 

stimulates your heart, 

lungs and muscles, 

and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.

Laughter can:

• Activate and relieve your stress response. 

A rollicking laugh    

fires up and then cools down 

your stress response, 

and it can increase and then decrease 

your heart rate and blood pressure. 

The result?     A good, relaxed feeling.

Laughter can:

• Soothe tension. 

Laughter can also stimulate circulation 

and aid muscle relaxation, 

both of which can help reduce 

some of the physical symptoms of stress.

All that is wonderful, in the moment for sure!

Yet, Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. 

It’s also good for you over the long term. 

Long-term effects of Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. 

Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions 

that can affect your body 

by bringing more stress into your system 

and decreasing your immunity. 

By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that 

help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

Long-term effects of Laughter may:

• Relieve pain. 

Laughter may ease pain by causing the body 

to produce its own natural painkillers.

Long-term effects of Laughter may:

• Increase personal satisfaction. 

Laughter can also make it easier   to cope with 

difficult situations. 

It also helps you connect with other people.

Long-term effects of Laughter may:

• Improve your mood. 

Many people experience depression, 

sometimes due to chronic illnesses. 

Laughter can help lessen your stress, 

depression and anxiety    and may make you feel happier. 

It can also improve your self-esteem.

Mayo Clinic summarized by saying that,

“Whether you’re guffawing at a sitcom on TV or quietly giggling at a newspaper cartoon, laughing does you good.”

Research by a wealth of experts all point to   the fact that

Laughter is a great form of stress relief.

Ida Abdalkhani – a Happiness Coach and Brand Strategist, Speaker and Author who specializes in team dynamics, creativity and career development presented a TED talk about this very topic. 

She began her presentation by stating the fact that 

an astonishing 83% of Americans are 

stressed about their jobs, 

and about one in two of us struggle to stay happy. 

She admitted to being one of them herself. 

She went on to claim that intentionally laughing for 15 minutes consecutively every day can ….

And, …. I promptly stopped listening for a moment.

Now, I love to laugh…but…

Laughing for 15 minutes?? 

Consecutively…

Every Day??

When was the last time I laughed for 15 minutes in day.

never-mind about consecutive minutes,

But just 15 minutes 

Of laughter?

What about 10 minutes.

5?

Surely I must have mustered 5 minutes somewhere at some point….nope…

Hmmm…

How about you?

How often do you laugh?

Think about that for a minute…

Laughter is one of the most natural things we humans can do.

We smile and we laugh

Before we can even say words

Laughter is among the common languages

Every human speaks

All around the world

Yet, how often do we engage in this Universal language?

How often do we access this life enhancing natural remedy?

I suspect, far too many of us, leave it to happenstance.

Hopefully we each are smiling each day.

Hopefully we each laugh at least once every day.

Some random joke nudges at our sense of humor 

and we chuckle.

Perhaps the nature lovers among us, 

while  watching some of the fascinating inhabitants of Earth witness their idiosyncrasies 

touch our funny bones     and we find ourselves 

holding our bellies as laughs tumble out.

Have you ever spent time watching squirrels run up trees, and sometimes tumble around the yard?

They can be pretty funny.

How about your pets?

What shenanigans do they get into that leave you laughing?

I have a little sheltie dog, she is a fast runner

She runs and runs in circles – so fast – I often find myself delighting in watching her play as she runs.

She is so funny.

And I laugh.

Every day thanks to her.

But not for more a few minutes.

Certainly not 15 minutes consecutively.

And, not intentionally,  so much!

Uninhibited laughter.

Intentional. 

That just seems like such a luxury to me.

How about you?

The serious tasks of being human can all too often overshadow and leave little room for 

the more playful parts of our species.

We are so busy…doing…thinking…producing…

What would our lives look like if we re-prioritized

Happiness over Solemnness?

There are 1,440 minutes in a day. 

Can you picture a day in your life where as part of your regular routine, you dedicate time to Laughter?

Laughter as exercise.

Laughter as medicine.

Laughter as meditation.

Laughter…just for the fun of it!?

During Ida’s TED talk…which I eventually turned back on…

She promoted the idea of Laughter Yoga.

I didn’t pause the video again, but, I certainly felt some resistance. 

Now this wasn’t the first time I engaged with Laughter Yoga…I was introduced to it years ago 

when I was a guest speaker at the 

World Peace Conference in Harvard, MA. 

One of the other featured speakers was a 

Laughter Yoga coach.

I am Not a Laughter Yoga Coach.

But, since our theme today is about the benefits of laughter, let’s give it a try.

Ida assures that with

45-90 seconds of even fake laughter our body begins release a flood of neurotransmitters, and the laughter becomes real.

So, let’s try it.

If we fail – we fail together.

If we succeed – we succeed together.

Either way, we are together!

Stand up if you will. Get the blood flowing.

There are two primary techniques to Laughter Yoga:

The first is breathing, 

with the goal of filling up our diaphragm, 

increasing our oxygen and helping our blood flow.

The second is, of course, laughter. 

Ida says, 

“The focus here is on deep belly laughter. 

This increases the circulation of our lymphatic systems 

and it jump-starts our immune systems.” 

First, we warm up.  🙂

Everyone take a deep breath in, raise your hands towards the ceiling, and when you to let your breath 

Do it with with an audible “Haaaa.”

OK. Let’s do that again.

Now we’ll do it again…and laugh on our exhale.

Arms up. Breath in. Exhale & Laugh

Great. One more time – laugh on our exhale.

Arms up. Breath in. Exhale & Laugh

Now we’re warmed up!

The exercise Ida presented next was “Cell Phone Laughter”

Pretend you have cell phone.

And pretend the person you are listening to just told you 

The FUNNIEST JOKE you have ever heard.

Laugh

And Laugh 

Laugh….Laugh….keep laughing. 

I think we were pretty successful 🙂

Thank you.

As a gift for joining me in the silly exercise, 

I want to share a video of one of my favorite comedians.

Tig Notaro.

Did anyone see her at the Opera House in March?

I think she is so funny. Her jokes. Her mannerisms.

Tig is known for her deadpan comedy. 

She, as many stand up comedians,   shares first person experiences in her jokes. 

She makes the already comical into absolute mirth.

Also she takes mundane, ordinary occurrences that 

catch her fancy and expertly weaves the story into utterly gleeful gems.

Yet, she also doesn’t hesitate to use comedy to address and even process life’s most challenging experiences. 

In 2012, for instance, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

She took to the stage in poignantly hilarious form, 

chronicling for her audience her experience 

from diagnosis through mastectomy. 

She has the ability to candidly divulge 

personal and painstaking sagas 

in such a way that transform her anecdotes 

and personal narratives into healing balm.  

This video …well… it’s just an ordinary occurrence…at least in the life of Tig:

It is said that as children we laugh 300 times a day, 

as adults only 30 times at most.

Whether Laughter Yoga, or tuning into your favorite sitcom, or comedian 

or reminiscing with friends and family, please find time – loads of time,   

at least 15 minutes, every day – – -to laugh.

You will feel lighter.

You will feel happier.

And, you deserve that!

Remember the words of Maya Angelou:

“Laugh as much as possible,    

always laugh. 

It’s the sweetest thing one can do for oneself 

and one’s fellow human beings.” 

So mote it be.

Special thanks to Linda Lee (Worship Associate)

Organist: Annabeth Rynders 

Pianist: Beth Schiller

Tech Team: Rurik Spence and Jonathan Rogers

Ida’s TED talk: