Using humour to lighten the load of the day

Ah, humour. The one thing that can make a bad day slightly less miserable or an awkward situation 10 times more uncomfortable, depending on how well you time that sarcastic quip, of course. But seriously (or rather, not too seriously), humour is one of the most delightful, and sometimes baffling, aspects of being human. We all love a good laugh. You know, the kind that has you wheezing for air, tears streaming down your face, and then someone asks, "What’s so funny?" and suddenly, you can’t explain it. Not because you don’t want to, but because what was hilarious two seconds ago now sounds absolutely ridiculous when you try to put it into words.

I mean, have you ever tried explaining a meme to someone who didn’t get it? It’s a nightmare. You’re standing there, flailing your arms, trying to convey the subtle genius of a raccoon holding a lightsaber, but they just look at you like you’ve gone mad. And maybe you have. That’s the thing with humour, it’s weirdly personal, yet universally loved.

What’s great, though, is how humour is so fluid. What makes you laugh today might be a complete eye-roll in a few years. Remember when "dad jokes" were unbearably lame? Now, they’re having a comeback like they’re the height of comedy gold.

Of course, humour can be a coping mechanism, too. I mean, who hasn’t used a little self-deprecating humour to get through an awkward moment? It’s like, “If I laugh at myself first, no one else can.” Classic. You spill coffee all over your shirt before a big presentation? No problem. You just walk in and say, “Well, it looks like I’ve already made an impression.” Boom. Instant redemption. People laugh, and suddenly, you’re not just the person who spilled coffee everywhere. You’re the person who owns it. You’ve turned embarrassment into entertainment.

And honestly, how amazing is that? The ability to take a stressful, cringeworthy situation and, with a clever twist of words, transform it into a laugh? That’s the closest thing we have to magic. Well, that and the ability to find our phone in the couch cushions while it’s still ringing.

Speaking of which, let’s talk about the irony of humour. You know how sometimes the thing that isn’t funny at all becomes the funniest thing in retrospect? Like, remember that time you tried to give a speech, but your brain had other plans and decided to forget how words worked? At the moment, pure terror. But weeks later, you’re telling that same story at a dinner party, and it’s hysterical. I guess that’s the essence of humour—it’s life’s way of saying, “Don’t take yourself too seriously, because you’re not going to make it out of here without falling on your face at least once. Might as well laugh about it.”

The beauty of humour is that it’s free, and you can carry it with you wherever you go. And, trust me, it makes everything lighter. I mean, life’s heavy enough as it is—so when in doubt, crack a joke. Maybe don’t always use humour as a shield—sometimes you gotta get real. But when you’re standing in line at the grocery store for what feels like hours, or when someone asks if you’re “okay” for the 100th time after you sneeze… yeah, that’s when humour saves the day.

So, go ahead, laugh. Even at the bad jokes. Especially at the bad jokes. Because the world needs more people who don’t mind looking a little silly now and then. Besides, it’s those people who usually have the best stories to tell.