I enjoyed reading Doug Johnson’s recent blog post – Your Source For Humor

I’ve been thinking about my own source for humor for a couple of days. I am not sure entirely – but I just find life hilariously funny. I think I got my sense of the absurd from the grandmother who raised me. She was an imposing Irish woman who faced many hardships in her life – not the least of which was the death of her daughter and son-in-law (my parents) and the subsequent inheritance of a 2-year old granddaughter to raise. Just when most folks are contemplating retirement, my grandparents were starting all over again with potty-training, first days of school, girl scouts, teenage trauma and on and on. Bless them!

My grandmother’s letters were always a source of hilarity to my college roommates. How I wish I had saved them! She always signed the letters T.O.B. – The Old Bag. I remember one letter vividly. As if raising me was not enough – she also took in another granddaughter whose parents split up. Merrie was about 10 when I went to college. In her letter, Grandma wrote: “You won’t believe the latest. Merrie wants a bra. You may as well put a bra on a WORM!!” That image has always stayed with me.

My grandfather had his funny moments as well. While home from college one weekend, I lost an earring. My grandmother thought perhaps it had fallen inside my bra. Having rather the figure of a worm myself at the time, I joked that it had probably fallen straight through onto the ground. Both grandparents laughed. Then we went back to school where we joined up with my boyfriend (future husband). While out to dinner, they asked Bob if he liked his dorm room. To which Bob replied – “It’s great. My closet is so big – I have nothing in my drawers.” Silly us – neither of us noticed the humor potential of that particular statement. But the next thing you knew – my grandfather whispered something in my grandmother’s ear, rendering them both helpless with laughter. Being young, and evidently humor challenged at the moment, Bob and I had no idea why they were laughing and my grandmother would not tell me till later. Evidently, when Bob had commented on the contents (or lack thereof) of his drawers, Grandpa had whispered: “SHE’s got nothing in her bra. HE’s got nothing in his drawers. WHAT do they do for entertainment?”

One of their greatest gifts to me was a sense of humor. All my file cabinets – real and virtual – have folders titled “Humor & Inspiration”. Humor is truly the gift of a life worth living. I am grateful to those 2 special people for so many things – and I miss their laughter and love every day.