I have a reputation for telling some pretty cheesy and corny jokes. However, what I am even more known for is my laugh.

It changes constantly. It can be loud, squeaky, or low, but it all eventually dies off with an “ah”. I can start laughing right after I just stopped. One look or one word can start me off in another round of giggles, chuckles, or whatever you may label it as.

But laughter is so much more important than we realize. Did you know that laughter has the power to boost your immune system?

Laughter decreases your stress hormones, causing you to relax, relieving you of tension and increasing the immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies in your system. This improves your chances of avoiding disease. Who knows? Maybe they’ve had the rhyme wrong all along. Maybe it should be a laugh a day, keeps the Doctor away.

As Paul E. McGhee stated, “Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.”

So while some people may find my laugh annoying (cough, cough…the girl who sat in front of me at an event the other day), I take pride in my laughter and try not to apologize. Why? Because it makes me feel better and can make those around me feel better, too.

Laughter has the power to bring people together, even in the worst times. It can strengthen relationships and help defuse certain situations. It can cause a smile, a look of understanding shared between groups. It can be used as a means of communication. One thing we all have in common is humor and while some people may lack in that area, others may shine. Laughter can be a key in the web of the happiness. It can unlock doors, smiles, and connections.

My advice to you is to laugh whenever given the option. Laugh when it hurts, when it’s needed and when something’s funny. Laugh even when you forgot to do a homework assignment because you know what? It’s not the end of the world. We’ve all been there. We’ve had those days, but one thing can make it better is laughter and I think we sometimes overlook and underappreciate this wonderful thing we are able to do.

So, in closing, I’d like to end with a joke or two (that just happen to both deal with cows).

Q: What do you get from a pampered cow?

A: Spoiled milk!

Q: What do you call a cow that has just given birth?

A: Decalfinated!