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Laughter is an effect. What is the cause? In performing a little research on this subject of laughter, it is interesting that the “happiness quartet of hormones” in the brain is Dopamine, Endorphins, Oxytocin, and Serotonin. (utopianlife.com, Hacking Into Your Happy Chemicals …) The acronym is DEOS. Does that translate from Latin as Gods? LOL (laughing out loud).
Although, my Dad only had an eighth grade education, as a middle school student, it was amazing to observe some of the intellectual things he could do like math problems for building projects using fractions. And I am compelled to believe that although, he wasn’t a theologian or a medical doctor or a gelotologist, he must have known that laughter was medicine good for the soul as well as a healing agent. He may not have been familiar with the chemical terms Dopamine, Endorphins, Oxytocin, and Serotonin and their psychological and physiological effects on the human body. However he gets credit for much of the Endorphin hormone released from my brain. He practiced laughter through a sense of humor as a major aspect of his personality for himself and others. I believe this aspect won him many friends and life benefits as a viable force that leads to happiness.
He loved to say and do things to make others laugh. A lifelong and daily practice for as long as I knew him; he would tell Dad-jokes, some were funny, most were not funny; they were silly and I’d laughed because it was silly or because I knew he wanted me to laugh and I was empathetic to his quest, but not because it was funny. When I wasn’t looking, he would turn his eyelids backward revealing the pink flesh, tap me on the shoulder, I’d turn around, and he’d scare me half to death. It made him laugh and but not me, unless I witnessed him doing it to someone else. Today, I am LMHO (laughing my head off).
He loved to scare anyone he knew well. He would sneak up behind you and say, boo or scream or say something silly or tickle your body (if that was appropriate). Then on rare occasion if I asked him a question, he’d speak some gibberish, and I’d say, ‘Come on, Daddy, answer me,” and he’d repeat his gibberish until I would begin to walk away in frustration. Into adulthood when he’d call me on the phone, I would say, “Hello,” and he’d start with the gibberish. Of course, it was always a give-away that it was him. One day my son, as an adult, called me on the phone and after my greeting, he started with the gibberish. Today, I am LMFAO (laughing my fat ass off).
There was a time when my Dad brought three live chickens home. He took them into the utility room and wrung their necks, and the chickens flew out of the utility room one behind the other, headless. My siblings and I had no idea this would happen as we ran screaming out of our wits as the headless chickens appeared to be chasing us. My Dad was laughing so hard, he could barely stand up. Today, I am ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing).
Amazing memories of laughter linger as an enduring gift from my Daddy-O; and the revelation of how easy it is to be a reflection of God by “recognizing someone’s accomplishment(s) releasing Dopamine, saying or doing something funny releasing Endorphins, giving someone a hug or a gift releasing Oxytocin, making someone feel significant or important releasing Seratonin,” all aspects of DEOS also known as God. I am God. That’s a good one. Today, I am ROTFLOLOLOL (rolling on the floor laughing out loud, out loud, out loud).
-Gloria Lawson Sylvester
“I am my ancestors and a Sacred African Woman Elder appreciating my value and service to the global community. The expression of my worth comes through the arts of poetry, visual art, music, and professional speaking.”
Profile: An author, poet, professional speaker, workshop presenter, and appointed Poet Laureate of the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel in 2000, Gloria published her first book of poetry, Prelude A Demonstration of Life (2000) and College Planning and Funding Handbook (1994), acted as Poet-in-Residence in private and public schools (including special education students) teaching character development principles through her personal project, Self-Empowerment Through Poetry. Gloria will be publishing two books of poetry in 2018, including one for children.
Sites for contact: http://www.restorationteleconference.com/3/guestbook.htm
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