Laughter is the best medicine. lol wat?

September 08, 2016

Last year, I wrote a blog for R U OK day , about how a little hug could go along way. This initiative aims to raise awareness for suicide prevention by starting life-changing conversations with three simple words, four letters "R U OK?"

Some wounds are really obvious, bright red bleeding things that you can spot from a mile away. Some pain you can hear, so loud and so soul shattering that you would not deny them their suffering. But there’s some sort of hidden trauma, some injury, some suffering that is misunderstood as just minor, "you'll get over it." It stands as tall as the highest, most insurmountable mountain to anyone in it's path. It twists your insides and wracks your mind without ever showing its face. It’s that nightmare you have where you open your mouth but you can’t scream, where you’re trying to run away but your muscles are frozen, where you think for just the shortest and eternal moment, wouldn’t it just be easier to quit? It’s those unseen, unheard and “insignificant” moments that lead to the premature closure of so many precious lives.

What if three simple words could save a life? R U OK?

Or any version of those words. My twist on it for this year – “Have you seen this meme?”

(I know, it’s two extra words and so many extra syllables :P)

In the past couple of years, I can’t count the amount of times a conversation has started with a link to a meme. Northwestern University even offers a meme studies major now to respect the internet centric youth of today. It seems trivial right? But you’ve got to admit that sometimes scrolling through your newsfeed cracking up at memes is like the go to past time when you can’t be bothered to get out and do anything else. A meme is pretty much as good as a virtual hug! No, I’m not just lonely. I believe that memes can literally brighten up a dull day.

Take Harambe for example, the gorilla which was injustly, or otherwise, shot. Harambe is an internet sensation. The injustice, the loss and whatever else complex feelings humans of today were experiencing over the loss of the gorilla and the other social implications the situation bought up, has been publicised using memes.

Maybe it’s just humour to some people, but to a society that is pretty much governed by the internet - humour is one of the quickest and easiest ways to express pain and joy and love, without actually having to admit to anything (and not really being blamed that much for it) and I’m sure many would agree. I mean come on, these days not much trumps a quick fix.

Whether this is healthy or not, I don’t really know. Does it even matter? On friends, Phoebe’s psychiatrist boyfriend seemed to criticise Chandler for using sarcastic humour to avoid serious feelings. Of course it shouldn’t be a substitute for any real human expression, but it’s not a bad way to get the ball rolling.

Memes are some of the most truthful and funniest pieces of art in today’s society. Years ago they had Michaelangelo and Rafael, today we have 9GAG and tumblr. My collection of memes says as much about me as my Spotify playlists and my Pinterest boards. Maybe that says more about me than memes themselves, but judge what you will my fellow humans and angels.

Forcing a smile every once in a while can do wonders. So why not a couple of lols and giggles just for fun?

What better way to brighten up a day? What better way to help a hurting heart? (maybe many other better ways, but open your mind up and add memes to the list asap).

“They” say that laughter IS the best medicine after all. The all knowing “they” strike again.

Here, let me force some medicine down your throat. Take care and remember to laugh a lot! (lal)