I AM not sure if I just becoming one of those grumpy old men, but I just don’t see much laughter in the community anymore.
Has life become so serious that we have forgotten how to have fun, how to slap a friend on the back, how to be open to really showing our emotions?
I believe the answer to that is yes, the pressure of life seems to be getting to us all.
Prices are going up, a war blazing away between Russia and Ukraine has the world on edge and here in Australia we now have young gangs breaking into our homes without fear of retribution.
It might be strange to say, but it was the amazing efforts of our women’s soccer team, the Matildas, which brought this all to my attention this week.
I watched and enjoyed every minute of their World Cup adventure and like millions of Australians I shouted out and jumped for joy when they scored goals along the way.
How can we bottle this joy and pride and pop the cork whenever things get a little tough.
If only we could, it would be something we all need a dose of from time to time.
Many who graceful age live only on their old memories, instead of going out and making new ones and that’s what we should all do.
There is a Latin term “carpe diem”, meaning seize the day.
Living by this means to value each day of your life as if it were the last one.
Too many of us, and on occasions I’m included, look back at things that occurred in our life that caused us pain.
We all wish they had never happened, but what can we do about it?
Nothing, because our life is a one way bus ride with no reverse gear.
We should look at the past as a tool for progress, not a torture device.
In an aim to bring some laughter back into our lives in just a small way I’ll be including a joke in this column each week with a small prize to go with it.
So to get us started here’s our first joke:
The Empty Seat
It’s the World Cup Final, and a man makes his way to his seat right next to the pitch and as he sits down, he notices that the seat next to him is empty.
He leans over and asks his neighbour if someone will be sitting there. ‘No,’ says the neighbour.
‘The seat is empty.’ ‘This is incredible,’ said the man.
‘Who in their right mind would have an expensive seat like this for the Final and not use it?’
The neighbour says, ‘Well actually the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away.
This is the first World Cup Final we haven’t been to together since we got married.’
‘Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.
That’s terrible….But couldn’t you find someone else, a friend, relative or even a neighbour to take her seat?’
The man shakes his head. ‘No,’ he says.
‘They’re all at the funeral.’
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