Many years ago a newspaper reporter asked the already senior Lionel Barrymore “Is acting as much fun as it used to be?” The famous actor replied “Listen, when you are 75 years old, nothing is as much fun as it used to be.” Now, let’s not jump to conclusions. Barrymore did not say that there was no fun at 75, only perhaps not so much as in younger years. Probably any man that age today would ratify that conclusion.
It’s a blessing that senior citizens can have fun which increases optimism and a good mood. Fun works its magic by releasing tension and by prompting laughter.
Countless generations have sensed the value of laughter, but it was Norman Cousins who discovered that laughter can treat human ailments. He called it “Internal Jogging.” Like external jogging and other physical exercises, it stimulates the cardiovascular system and promotes the secretion of endorphin, the body’s natural narcotic. It lifts mild depression and brings a new sense of ease and well-being.
Mr. Cousins was a well-known intellectual in the middle of the last century. He can truly be labeled a “Renaissance Man” at home in many fields of learning including medicine. To find out more about him look for his book “Anatomy of An Illness” still on sale in book stores.
Tags: aging gracefully, anecdotes, humor, joyful aging, laugh for health, laughter, Life Enrichment, Senior Life Enrichment
