Seriously Funny

If anyone has ever told you you’re funny, we need to be friends.  No seriously, inbox me.

(I’m giggling at the irony of the ‘Seriously, in-box me if you aren’t serious’ thing.)

I’ve been told before that I’m funny and if I could wave a magic wand, I would be funny ALL THE TIME and surrounded by other funny people that I never feel the need to compete with. (Hilarious in and of itself, right?)

Funny is my love language. The truth is that if you can make me laugh, you own me. Friends for life. If I know you, we’ll hang out more. If I don’t know you, I’ll stalk you on social media. You'll notice an obscene amount of 'likes' on your stuff. Bravo to you for being funny. 

Humor is my favorite hobby. Laughter is the drug to which I am addicted. If I could, I’d meet people in dark alleys for a gram. It's the best anti-depressant I know. It’s the best feel-good emotion and the time when I least mind my laugh lines (a.k.a., wrinkles.) I watch funny movies until I learn the lines then quote them obsessively. I forward funny blogs to friends and family. I laugh at inappropriate stuff and videos of cats. I take any average issue and search it on Pinterest with the search tag ‘humor’ added. I hunt humor. Straight up. 

Here’s the deal. I struggle with depression. You know, the kind that comes from being bullied as a kid, insecure in your own skin, etc. That progressed into post-partum that morphed into anxiety that led to chronic illness that brought us right back to depression like Do Re Me. I’ve tried the counseling, exercise, diet, meds, books, journals, etc. It's all wonderful, helpful and good but, for me, nothing comes closer to healing than laughter. I’m sure there are a lot of scientific reasons for why but it would be so boring to look them up. (For fun I did look them up and there are charts and stuff so if that's your jam, knock yourself out.)

Laughter is how I cope. It’s how I heal. It reminds me not to take life so seriously. Even when life is smacking you upside the head with serious. I believe laughter is holy. Especially the kind where you are laughing so hard that no sound comes out of your mouth and tears literally drip down your cheeks. 

There's one little trick to laughter, though. It's so much sweeter when you share it. Women who can laugh together can do anything! Overcome anything. When we laugh together there exists a few glorious minutes when all is right with the world. Joy. 

So if you are funny, we need to be friends. Especially if you quote movies and song lyrics. I am currently obsessed with the Broadway musical Hamilton and memorized all the songs with funny lines first. It’s an added bonus if you love Hamilton, too.

I’m being totally serious. (Ugh, that again.) The world and I need more laughter and fun and happiness and joy. I am desperate for that kind of community. Let's laugh until we cry or cry until we laugh. Can we be those people for just a while? 

A few requirements: must be able to laugh at self, must love Jesus and must be able to be your full on real self even when it’s not funny. Funny is our goal, not our lives. Community means we do life even when it’s not funny. Especially when it’s not funny.

I won’t ask you to leave a funny comment because pressure like that tends to dry up all hilarity. Comedians say the hardest part of their job is when people walk up to them and demand, “Say something funny.” It’s like the cold shower of funny moments.

Instead, I’ll ask you to leave a comment about something that makes you laugh. A movie quote? A joke? A Pinterest meme? A kid you have? An author you follow? A funny blog or podcast? What fills your funny cup? I can't wait to laugh with you.