Find Your Funny

Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: Winter 2025

Artwork by Norma Jean Zahner

Every so often I fall in love.

Not romantically – well maybe a little bit – but mostly with someone’s ingenuity, humor, or marvel.

My crush this week is on Loretta LaRoche, an octogenarian, mental health counselor, who grew up in WWII. She’s on Ted Talks (How to Humor Your Stress), and well-worth a look-see.

Growing up, LaRoche lived in a big Italian family. There was no such thing as stress in the 40s and 50s. You never heard Mama washing pots at the sink whining, “I had to cook. I’m so stressed.”

She might belt out a song, tell a tale, order kids to go out and shake the rugs.

No one ever said, “I’m so stressed. Why do I have to take this rug outside and pound it?” Kids just went out and shook the rug because it was their responsibility to the family.

But today, we fuss about the traffic. Stew about too many shopping carts at the grocer. We wallow in drama about everyone in our way.

Jeepers, get a clue! Some people are going to work. Others are buying stuff. They all go places in cars just like we do! Destinations aren’t designed for each prince and princess.

At home we get on social media to see what other people are fretting about. Online, we whine about our miseries. We wait to read comments Japanese made about us.

And then we go around feeling unfulfilled.

Walk through cemeteries,” LaRoche says. “Ever see a tombstone that said: Did everything. Died anyway.”

No matter what we hope for in the next few years, we need to loosen up.

Our nation is solidifying into political parties, tribes, and cultures.

Stop that.

This is a time we need to come together, to save our environment, to embrace a positive vision for our nation’s future, our planet’s future.

There’s a solution to pull us back together, and it’s sitting right at the tip of our lungs, tongues, and noses.

It’s called Laughing. We need to giggle more, belt and roar. Turn loose with a howl, a guffaw. Stir up a laugh that starts rumbling in our toes, then rolls up to our bellies, and bursts out in a nose-snort and shriek. Gasp for air and happily suffer several rib fractures.

Do this, Republican with Democrat, child with grandparent, Blacks with Whites, people of color, transgenders, people who are physically or mentally suffering, two-leggers and four-leggers.

When you laugh with another life on this planet, you connect. Connection lowers anxiety and depression. It improves physical health. It increases self-esteem and empathy.

Make your mantra this first week of 2025, and every other after, FIND THE FUNNY. Then take a bow and accept your Oscar for a brilliant performance connecting us all, one precious giggle at a time.