I recently saw this poster on Facebook.
It occurred to me that it takes courage to laugh at one’s self. Sometimes this is simply a matter of taking ourselves less seriously. We are all human, we all make mistakes. Being able to laugh at them is a way of staying humble.
I know you will find this hard to believe, but sometimes when I am talking, I have trouble finding a word, or I just say the wrong word altogether. We moved into a new house this past September. The new house has a wet bar that contains storage for bottles, glasses and other barware and a mini-fridge. For some reason, over Christmas, instead of calling it “the bar” or even “the liquor cabinet” I kept calling it “the medicine cabinet.” My family just thought this was hysterical. Every time I said it, they laughed and I got mad and saying “Dammit, you know what I mean.” I finally gave up, laughed and now we just call it “the medicine cabinet.”
Once I was directing a children’s choir during Mass and my son (maybe 12 at the time) was the cantor for the Mass. I was in the choir loft in the back of the church, he was on the altar. It was time for him to stand and announce the closing hymn. Lost in a daydream, he was not paying attention and try as I might, I couldn’t get his attention. I can’t remember if I eventually was able to catch his gaze or if I simply announced the hymn myself. As fate would have it, the hymn was “How Can I Keep from Singing.” The joke in the family became “Just don’t stand up.” He laughs with the rest of us.
I think Katherine, the heroine in Highland Solution, has the ability to help Niall laugh at himself in some situations when he is behaving particularly arrogantly. In Highland Courage, Tadhg Matheson has the same skill. He advises “Niall, my friend, ye are going to have to scrape off some of your crust and find a sense of humor.”
It is easy to get angry and perhaps sometimes natural to be embarrassed, but it takes courage to accept our own fallibility and laugh.
Ceci Giltenan, Author 
I laugh all the time at myself, Ceci. It keeps me very humble, so totally agree with you. I would love to have a wee nip from your “medicine” cabinet. So funny!! 🙂
My medicine cabinet doesn’t see a lot action, still there is always a bit of something there to take the edge off. 😉
I love this post. It’s so true if you can’t laugh at yourself then you can’t enjoy life.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I agree, laughter is the key to enjoying life. That, and butter.
Ceci
Thank you for bringing back some memories of my grandmother. When I was little and we would go visit, they would always ask my parents if they wanted a drink. After they would bring them out I would tell grandma I wanted one too and she would always tell me I couldn’t have one because they had medicine in them but she would go pour me some Tab and tell me mine was special for it was different than the others. 🙂
Laughing is something I do daily and even when things don’t appear humorous to others you’ll find me giggling. Sean just shakes his head at me.
Loved your stories, Ceci! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed them! I used to LOVE Tab when I was little, because it came in a pink can.
Haha Mary, she keeps coconut water in her medicine cabinet! And its certainly better to laugh at yourself than cry!
There is no more coconut water in my medicine cabinet. Over Christmas Liam and Meghan mixed it with the pineapple juice that was left over from our…whatever they were. Still, there is a rather eclectic mix.
Ceci
great advice!