That Reminds Me...

What does it mean if I can’t tell a joke? I can’t even remember a joke. I only know one joke aficionado who, when he tells a joke, I impatiently wait for the end and try (often unsuccessfully) to NOT roll my eyes. Have I lost my ability to laugh at myself and the stupid things I do or the absurd situations that I find myself in? I hope not!

My dad is the joker in the family and a joke set into the fabric of regular conversation often begins with the words “That reminds me…” and we are off to the races.

Now my daughter has begun to build a repertoire of jokes that cycle through our life.

Why do Moon Rocks taste better than Earth Rocks?
Because they’re a little meteor!

She has a mind that holds and remembers details and can pull information up at will at a later date…me, not so much.

Maybe that’s it. I’m jealous! It is a real gift when someone makes others laugh and brings joy to a random situation. I want to be the person who is “FUN”! People who bring lightness to a gathering are the chocolate chips in life…they give the cookie/event energy and flavor!

But, unfortunately, that’s NOT me. But maybe I could change that if it is truly something I value. I could make an effort and do what dad does…tell a single joke to several people throughout the course of the day and kind of be a Johnny Apple seed of light, love, and laughter. Not planting fruit trees, but planting a little lightness..a chuckle and a seed of happiness into the lives of the people around me.

Does that sound like a lot of work for you? Well, to be honest, it might sound all up-beat and all, but….yeah…no.

While writing this, I found this quote from the actress and comedian Lucille Ball that resonated with me. She said,

“I don’t know how to tell a joke. I never tell jokes. I can tell stories that happened to me… anecdotes. But never a joke.”

Maybe that is my calling. I may not be able to synthesize an event into a one-liner, but I can share a good story. Perhaps jokesters and storytellers are two sides of the same coin. I’ve always appreciated a good joke (eye-rolls included) but never seen how perfect and timely a good anecdote is, MY STORIES…until now.