Laughter - more than good medicine

We all carry something. Bills that don’t stop coming. Health scares that shake us. Grief that surprises us in the quiet moments. In my own community, I’ve watched neighbours weather heartbreak, hold tight through loss, and come out the other side—sometimes carried more by laughter than by logic.

There’s truth in Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” It’s not just pretty poetry. It’s a lifeline. Laughter doesn't solve our problems, but it loosens their grip. It reminds us we're still alive, still breathing, still capable of joy even in the midst of struggle.

Some of the most enduring love stories I’ve written and witnessed don’t revolve around sweeping gestures. They’re built in kitchens where burnt toast sets off the fire alarm. In conversations with friends. In long car rides and quiet prayers whispered in the dark.

Love deepens when we learn to laugh together. Not just at the funny parts, but at ourselves. It’s the shared smiles after the missteps that strengthen a marriage. Grace grows where laughter lives.

Faith, like love, doesn’t have to be sombre to be sincere. Some of the most profound believers I know are the ones who can still laugh when life takes a turn. They trust in a God who created penguins and platypuses—surely a sign He has a sense of humor.

We don’t always get answers. Sometimes we get silence. But sometimes we get a moment of lightness that carries us forward. Laughter, in these moments, becomes a kind of prayer. A way to say, “I’m still here, Lord. And I still believe.” My family has stood by the graveside of our young son, my parents, our nephew, a dear brother in law, friends children, brothers and sisters. But when the stories are shared, the blessed moments have been memories that made everyone laugh. Sorrow and joy are often intermingled.

There’s a reason family sitcoms hit so close to home. Because life with your people—your beautifully imperfect people—is often downright hilarious. My best conversations with my sisters are ones where we share our faith and, just as important, laugh together.

When we laugh through mistakes made, weaknesses and foibles and the silly moments, when we can tease and laugh at and with each other, we build something strong. Something real. We make room for grace, and we create space for healing.

Laughter doesn’t mean pretending the hard things don’t exist. It means trusting that joy still belongs to you—even in the middle of the storm.

Growing up we heard a lot of laughter. My parents loved a good joke and loved to share funny stories. I know that’s not true for other families so I’m thankful that I grew up with laughter in the home. You could say, “The family that laughs together, stays together.” I’d stretch that to include marriages, friendships, church groups—even entire communities. A cheerful heart truly is good medicine, and when we choose to laugh, we invite others to do the same.

So when life gets overwhelming, take a moment. Breathe. And if you can, laugh. With your family. With your friends. With God.

It might just be the most faithful thing you do all day.