Carrie Link

THE BEST MEDICINE

As you all well know, one of my New Year's resolutions was to laugh more.

I am a pretty fair laugher, if I do say so myself, but gone were the days when I nearly wet my pants, I was laughing so hard.

Gone were the days when I laughed so hard liquids came out my nose.

Gone were the days when I had to leave ceremonies and events because if I didn't, I'd be very embarrassed (think: Pez episode on "Seinfeld").

And damn, did I miss those days.

Ran into a couple very funny friends at a school fundraiser, of all places (I, at least, do not think funny, when thinking school fundraiser), and we got to laughing. Decided we needed to make a time to get together and laugh, laugh, laugh.

"Wear a pad!" Funny Friend #1 said.

I chuckled each time I just saw the date on my calendar.

Yesterday I got together with Funny Friends 1 & 2, and laugh we did.

Probably the biggest laugh came when we were discussing our middle-aged bodies, and the gravitational pull on certain once-perky parts.

"I just tell my husband, 'Those are my boobs, just kick 'em out of your way,'" Funny Friend #2 said.

I'm shaking with laughter all over again, just remembering how funny it was when she said it.

Because we are all busy and time is scarce, we only had 1 1/2 hours together before we had to go get our kids. Three funny women with 9 kids between us, lots going on, active, crazy lives, and lots to talk about.

So yes, we laughed, and it felt great. Really, really great.

But we also got right to the heart of lots of topics that aren't always funny: marriage, aging, pro-choice vs. pro-life, adoption, birth parents vs. adoptive parents, family loyalties, siblings, special needs children, "advanced maternal age" babies, etc., etc., etc.

And none of that is inherently funny.

Unless it is.

You know the expression, "This will all be funny someday?"

I've decided today is that day.

I've got a pad on, too, just in case.


* Photo from pro.corbis.com