July 23rd 2023: Laughter

Laughter , It's easy to associate laughter with being frivolous.  But that would be to misunderstand its importance.  While there are many reasons for laughing it is an activity that is very important for us as human beings.  It plays an important part in our social bonding. This Sunday, join the community at West Hill to hear why Sophie Scott thinks we should take laughter more seriously.   Sophie is a cognitive neuroscientist who happens to think it's a complex social behavior that signals a lot more than a successful joke.  While you won't be asked to share a joke you will be invited to consider how laughter has been helpful to you and what it means for the West Hill community

First Reading

“Without laughter life on our planet would be intolerable. So important is laughter to us that humanity highly rewards members of one of the most unusual professions on earth, those who make a living by inducing laughter in others. This is very strange if you stop to think of it: that otherwise sane and responsible citizens should devote their professional energies to causing others to make sharp, explosive barking-like exhalations.”

• Steve Allen, Funny People

Second Reading

“Laugh. Laugh as much as you can. Laugh until you cry. Cry until you laugh. Keep doing it even if people are passing you on the street saying, “I can’t tell if that person is laughing or crying, but either way they seem crazy, let’s walk faster.” Emote. It’s okay. It shows you are thinking and feeling.”

• Ellen Degeneris in her book “Seriously…I’m Kidding”.

Third Reading

“Laughter is an instant vacation.”

• Milton Berle