About 15 years ago I read a book written by Norman Cousins called Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient. Cousins, a longtime editor of the Saturday Review, was struck with a life-threatening illness in 1964. Cousins credited his recovery to his active partnership with his physician and the use of humor to boost his body's capacity for healing. As a part of his treatment, Cousins watched episodes of Candid Camera and Marx Brothers films and read humorous texts like E.B. and Katharine White's Subtreasury of American Humor and Max Eastmans' The Enjoyment of Laughter. I have always remembered this section of the text: "I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep."
My family has been heavy-hearted this week because of the news that our student minister is moving. But last night we were able to share an evening full of belly laughs (and Chik-fil-A) with our student minister and his family and several other good friends - good medicine for us all. I'm still terribly sad and don't look forward to this transition in the least, but after a good dose of laughter I find that I can once again focus on the things that God has called me to do.
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