Tuesday 7 April 2020 / 21 Days Lock Down Reflection

A Good Laugh

“The line of distinction between day time and night time pajamas has become a bit blurred” … okay, go ahead and have a good laugh on my account.

I count myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to get to know each of my four grandparents before they left this third dimensional realm. My grandmother on my father’s side was the last to cross over, but before she did she left me with some parting words.

I never got to see her much in her last days of human frailty. Living in Cape Town, visits to the family I have in Johannesburg has become an unfortunate rarity. The last time I saw her was at a family Christmas gathering. She needed assistance walking, she was losing both her hearing and her ability to see amongst other things.

Moments before our final parting she beckoned me to come closer. “Is that you Donald?” she said, reaching out to hold my hand to make sure it was me. I leaned in closer to listen to what profound message she had for me. We both had that knowing that this would be our last moment together. I listened intently, opening my heart to what blessing she might give.

She then proceeded to tell a random joke and laugh hysterically at herself at the end of it. This was something very distinguishable about my grandmother. Telling jokes for her was something of great importance. I remember family gatherings, usually Sunday lunches, where we all had to stop what we were doing and listen to her latest joke. I could never understand why no-one told her that these were from the same stock of jokes she shared the time before … and that they incidentally weren’t very funny. I think the tipping point  of our anticipation though, was for the moment the joke ended and she broke into fits of laughter. This had some kind of contagious effect where we would all end up in a similar convulsion of laughter with her.

My grandmother calmed down from her giggles and then squeezed my hand a little bit tighter. I was all ears now, the profound moment of parting word was here. I was all ears,

“Don’t ever lose your sense of humour!”

And so folks, never a truer word spoken. I make make a point of having a good laugh at least once a day.

Hoping this brightened someone’s day… remember, none of us get out of here alive anyway (at least in this incarnation)