Under the Whispering Door

by T.J. Klune

“It helps to laugh, even when you don’t feel like laughing. You can’t be sad when you’re laughing. Mostly.”

There is a meme that circulates online that I fall for every time. Why? I don’t know. Maybe part of me knows what its intended purpose is, but whenever I see the meme, I do exactly what it says. The meme? "It’s impossible for humans to smile widely and inhale through their nose at the same time." Stupid, right? Of course it’s possible! You can do it right now. And when you do, there is going to be a moment of . . . ahhhhhh. You feel better! It’s brief, sure, but for a moment, you are breathing, you are smiling. Laughter is often said to be the best medicine, and while it’s not a cure-all, I think it helps. We have so much to be upset about constantly—maybe it’s time we laugh in the face of absurdity.