How’s Your Sense Of Humour?
An elderly gentleman, on his way home from his local shops, sees a group of people queueing outside a bakery. The shop is small, and a staff member is controlling the number of people entering.
Debbie Inglis
The queue takes up space on the pavement, as people maintain social distancing. The elderly gent decides to give them space and steps off the path to ensure appropriate distance.
He misjudges the edge of the pavement and stumbles, reaching out to break his fall with this hands. Wanting to avoid landing on both knees, which are replacements, he twists and ends up on his back.
The bakery staff member runs over to offer assistance, as does a passerby who happens to be a trained nurse. The nurse sits with him at a table outside the bakery for 20 minutes or so, checking for concussion, nausea, etc.
After a while, and feeling steadier and more confident, the gentleman thanks the nurse and continues his short walk home, where his wife sorts his cuts and his grazed hands.
As my Dad recalls this story of his unceremonious stumble (his words, not mine!), the first comment he makes after he reassures me he’s OK is …
“I was hoping, as I went down, that I could recover the situation by going into a forward roll and coming back up to standing, arms outstretched. Ta Daa!”
One thing I love about my dad (aged 84) is his sense of humour. Yes, he admits he felt a little embarrassed by falling in front the queueing audience and other passersby. But instead of feeling sorry for himself, he sees the funny side and cracks a joke.
His sense of humour has been passed on to me, although recently I’ve forgotten I have one!
I find myself feeling quite serious a lot of the time, probably not surprising, given the pandemic. I have to remind myself that I can only control my own actions, thoughts and responses to others … and I can’t control the state of the world.
I believe a sense of humour helps us to be more positive, and positivity also improves our energy levels … and as a result, we can achieve more and help others too.
I’ve seen lots of examples of people demonstrating a sense of humour over recent months, particularly on social media. Like many, I’ve become a fan of Andrew Cotter’s videos with Olive and Mabel. (You’ll probably enjoy them more if you love dogs!)
So how’s your sense of humour holding up?
If it’s been lacking recently, what could you do to give it a boost?
Debbie Inglis
Leadership Coach
