Laughter really is the best medicine.
It lifts the heart and brings strength to the soul.
It’s a reminder that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. And that life really is beautiful more often than it’s not.
A good laugh can shed light on a dark moment. It can bring joy into a tough situation. And it’s essential in almost any relationship.
Marriage is no exception.
Keeping a sense of humor in marriage can see you through the difficult seasons that are bound to come. Learning to laugh in spite of your situation will keep you grounded.
Finding joy regardless of your circumstances will help you maintain a positive perspective.
A marriage that includes a lot of laughter has a much better chance of being a happy one.
A struggle with time…
Like most couples, my husband and I have our fair share of funny stories. But one of my favorites goes back to the early years of our marriage.
My husband doesn’t like to be late. In fact, he’s the “30 minutes early is on time” type. I admire this about him.
I think it shows integrity and respect for whoever or whatever is on the other end of his schedule. And I would like to say I’m a lot like him in this area.
But I’m not.
Somehow, I always manage to be running behind. It doesn’t seem to matter how early I get up, how well I prepare, or how quickly I move.
I’m often late.
It’s not something I’m proud of. But that doesn’t make it any less true.
My husband’s always been patient with my lack of time management. But I picked up pretty early on that my tardiness was extremely frustrating for him.
So, I do my best to kick into high gear when we’re going anywhere together. Yet despite my good intentions, I still often put us running behind.
In a rush…
One evening shortly after we were first married, my husband and I were headed out for a date. We had plans for an old favorite-dinner and a movie. We’d been working hard all week and were looking forward to a relaxing evening.
I knew it was important to my husband that we leave in plenty of time for a leisurely meal before our movie began. So, I was trying my best to get out the door quickly.
As usual, it had taken me longer to get ready than I’d hoped. As I rushed to the garage, purse in hand, I realized my shoes were still all the way upstairs in our closet. With my husband patiently waiting in the car, I sprinted back to our room.
Without even taking time to turn on the light, I grabbed my heels from the pitch-black closet. I slipped them on my feet and headed out the door.
I breathed a sigh of relief once we were finally on our way. And I didn’t think much more about my rushed attempts to get ready.
Until later that is.
Want to up the happiness level of your marriage? Check out “10 Habits to Increase Joy in Marriage“ for some helpful tips.
A mismatched pair…
We did end up enjoying a slow-paced dinner. And we made it to the theater in plenty of time for our movie. It was a wonderful evening.
About halfway through the show, I slipped out to use the restroom. In the bright light of the bathroom, I happened to look down at my feet.
And then I looked again.
On one foot was the cute brown heel I’d planned on wearing that night. But on the other was a completely different shoe. A black heel that didn’t match at all!
I can’t remember for sure, but I think I laughed out loud right there in that movie theater bathroom.
In my rushed attempt to leave on time, I’d grabbed the wrong piece of footwear. And somehow, I’d made it through the entire evening and not once realized I had on two different shoes!
A good laugh…
I made my way back into the darkened theater. I couldn’t wait until the end of the show to let my husband in on the joke, so I quickly shined my phone light down at my shoes. He shook his head and smothered his laughter as he realized what had happened.
I walked out of the theater that night much more self-conscious than when I’d walked in. My feet shuffled quickly as I did my best to keep my shoes hidden beneath the cuff of my jeans.
I wondered how many people had noticed my mismatched outfit. How many had gotten a good laugh of their own at my expense?
Maybe no one. How often do we look at other people’s feet anyway? But it sure put a smile on our faces.
It was such a simple moment. Yet it’s a memory we still laugh about today.
Read about another key to a strong marriage in “The Importance of Prayer in Marriage.”
The importance of humor in marriage…
We have lots of other stories like that. Circumstances that didn’t play out like we expected. Unplanned surprises that caught us off guard.
Or just a silly situation that we’ll never forget.
We enjoy revisiting those old memories. I’m pretty sure we laugh harder about that stuff now than we did when they actually happened!
And we love the fact that we have our own little bank of inside jokes. Our bond seems to get stronger every time we bring up funny moments from our past.
Laughing together is not only good for our souls. It strengthens our relationship too.
Finding humor in marriage-even in the little things-plays a big role in your overall happiness together.
Because marriage will come with plenty of situations much too serious to laugh about. Hardships, trials, and heartaches where laughter is nowhere to be found.
Seasons of difficulty. Impossible choices. Unexpected disappointments.
So, when there’s opportunity to choose joy, we have to take it. If there’s a chance to laugh off irritations or small inconveniences, we should be ready to do just that.
And if we can turn a funny moment into a lifelong memory…all the better.
Learning to find the humor in marriage keeps things in perspective. It fills your marriage with the kind of delight that the trials of this life can’t steal away.
Happiness is something you feel. It will ebb and flow with the current circumstance.
But joy is something you choose. And a joy-filled marriage is one of the best choices you’ll ever make.
Do you have a fun story about humor in marriage? It’s good to laugh together. Please share in the comments below!
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