the best medicine

humor is, more often than not, my saving grace in a lot of times. i kidded once that even if i find myself in the most serious of situations, let us say... a wake, the jester in me can still find himself in a mood to crack a joke, or two... or three. it is a gift that i have always been thankful for, and quite recently, have been more appreciative of it especially with my latest bout of melancholy.

humor offers me a reprieve from self pity and breaks the momentum of despair. with every laughter, i get a sensed of being pulled up. the harder i laugh, the higher i get. maybe it's hormonal, my brain shooting me up with serotonin with each full bodied chuckle, maybe not. either way, humor provides me the right force to remind me that life need not always be this heavy. as long as there is good material and reasons to laugh, then life can never be too bitter that humor's sweet medicine cannot help salve.

to joke however requires personal volition. it is an active process that can sometimes present itself difficult still, most especially when you already find yourself deep in cannibalistic introspection. it is during these times, i believe, that the forces that be intervenes and pretty much gives me a booster shot. knowing probably how acute my senses are, it would not only surround me with material to make fun of, but on certain occasions wherein i am more resistant, even shove one (or two, or three) into my face.

"nanuod kami ni mare nung, ano ba yun... ah, confessions of a workaholic!" i almost fell off the treadmill as this particular mommy screamed this to the other mommy she was talking too while huffing and puffing on the elliptical trainer. this one statement served as the catalyst for me to go on an extensive retrospect of many such hilarious statements i have encountered through the years, all of them curious enough, uttered by mommies. here are some of my favorites...

"ei! Mall of Asia just opened! why not later, after we drop you off at the airport, we can go surround the mall" (yes... you and what army i wonder?)

"naku sir!, you can throw dance parties here with all this space. and with your influence, it would be a great place for us to rub the elbow." (talk like that, and i that's all you're going to do... rub the elbow. hehehehe)

"what's the name of that singer who has that high voice? MARIA KA-REI?" (reminds me of that jodinand video... sha-nay-yah ma-nay-yah!)

"we built in the TV on a rotating panel by having a mechanism put in the upstairs and downstairs." (that must be one heck of a TV to span an entire floor!)

and by far, my favorite....

"hay naku jamie! i just saw this movie that i am sure you can relate too. ang ganda nya, about two cowboys... watch it ha! it's called BROKEN MOUNTAINS." (to this mommy.. i love you sooo much!!! hahahahaha!)

haaay.... THANK YOU LORD!!!! :)