Today I laughed at something that a friend posted on Facebook. Most of the country is in the throws of an awful heat wave. The picture that was posted was a sign that said, "Satan called. He wants his weather back." I responded that someone had not lost his/her sense of humor. My friend said that she personally believes a sense of humor is "essential survival equipment."
That reminded me of my Dad. Dad never had much in the way of material things. Financial debt from serving in World War II and the Korean Conflict, mixed with raising four children on salesman's commissions, never afforded him luxury items of any kind. He always saw to it that we had food on the table and clothes on our backs. While we didn't have luxury items, we never thought of ourselves as poor. We were rich in family, and that's what counted.
As Dad got older, he used to say to us, "When I go, you won't inherit anything. The only thing I have to give you is my sense of humor." Dad and Mom both had a wonderful sense of humor. It didn't matter what was going on in our lives, they could find the humor in things. I wonder if Mom and Dad realize what a valuable inheritance that was? What an incredible legacy?
Sometimes when all is very quiet, if I listen carefully, I can still hear Dad laugh, and I can still see Mom belly laughing. Mom and Dad left us more than a sense of humor, though. They left us integrity, honesty, and love. What more could children ask?
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Thanks for sharing this. I don't think there is much in this life that you can't make a joke about or laugh at... a belief that regularly gets me in trouble with people who don't share that belief. I'm positive that God has a wonderful sense of humor and belly laughs more than we would imagine. You'll have to ask Elder Lima about the daily jokes he says in his prayers.
ReplyDeleteI'm certain God has a sense of humor. Exhibit A: the platypus. :)
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