The Art of Humor

One of the best gift to have in life is the Art of Humor. Tonight, after Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, we gathered in the our church hall for a pot-luck Lenten meal.

At the table , Charlie told me a joke, and I knew it would be a clean one, as they are not all. It went something like this: A child sitting on the lap of a grandfather asked him if he would croak like a frog. The grandfather being surprised at the unusual request, asked the child why.
The child said that his grandmother said that when he croaked, she would take them all to Disney World.

Everyone likes to be with people who tell good jokes. I find them to be good company. I've tried, but find that either I didn't get it right or something happened to the punch line as it fizzled losing its effectiveness. It's been so long since I told a joke, I can't even think of one. Of course, jokes are contagious and no sooner than that one was out, someone else was ready with did you hear the one about....

Humor is a way to break the ice, or calm a situation, or just make for a great time. I wish I had a sense of humor, as I tend to be too serious all the time. It is sort of an art, and the more you do of it the better you become at it it is said.

So, here is the other joke: A school teacher asked her students to stand if they thought that they are stupid. She repeated the question, no one rose except for one boy. She asked him if he thought he was stupid and he answered No. I just didn't want you to be the only one standing.

It really does require two people communing together, as one is able to deliver the joke, the other must be receptive to understanding it. In other words, you must be able to find the content of the story funny. Some people take offense.

My mother had a very funny joke about beans and if I can remember it, I'll try to pass that one along tomorrow night at the community meal. She would do it perfectly. I always broke down and laughed while telling the story, making people laugh but not at the joke, because I couldn't manage to finish it with a straight face. The art of humor is after all, all in the presentation.