The inimitable late great Arthur Lowe who played Captain Mainwearing in Dad’s Army and coined the catchphrase “You stupid boy!” (In reference to Private Pike) was a genius for comic timing. He captured perfectly that wry, dry humour so prevalent in the British stiff upper lip spirit during the war.
I have watched some of these episodes on re-runs in the past, but I remember a scene when Mainwearing becomes romantically involved with Mrs Gray, a volunteer in the women’s section. When she decides to return to London in the sketch, Mainwaring is devastated…He tells her that he can’t bear her to leave, that he lives only for their illicit meetings. Mrs Gray tells him she feels the same, but it’s the only thing to do. “People are talking”, she says. Mainwearing replies “People always talk. Who cares about that?”
Mrs Gray; “But there’s your wife”.
Captian Mainwearing; “Huh! Nobody will talk to her. She hasn’t left the house since Munich!”
You’ve simply gotta laugh!
The current crisis is forcing many of us into isolation, for our own well-being… but there is nothing funny about isolation, it can be a lonely, anxiety ridden place to be. That’s where sharing humorous stories, watching comic re-runs on T.V or simply telling jokes to each other comes in. It is a recognised fact that laughter reinforces a positive emotional state. Research has shown that it brings people together and the health benefits from that are enormous.
Scientifically laughter; “decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease”.
There is also much evidence to support that when we laugh, there is actually a benefit to the heart. Perhaps sparked from the energetic movement of the muscles surrounding the diaphragm, but laughing out loud really does help the arterial blood flow from the heart!
The stockpiling craziness as a result of the Covid -19 crisis has sparked off many comical tweets and facebook posts, I’m sure like me, you’ve seen them and not been able to stop yourself from being amused, despite the gravity of the situation.
It’s the joy we find in the most despairing moments that is so important sometimes…
Just yesterday whilst standing in the supermarket queue (in a failed attempt to get a loaf of bread but sporting a box of crackers instead), the checkout assistant was sharing her anger with the chap in front of me about the abuse she had taken from customers, owing to the empty shelves. The chap was certainly in a chipper mood and commiserated with her. Then with an unmistakeable Cornish lilt he added; “Two women were having a conversation in the car park yesterday, getting themselves in a right old anxious state that they were going to catch the virus. “I couldn’t help myself” he said; “Walking past them, I remarked; “Not likely to get ill from the virus my lovelies, but more likely to cause yourselves back injuries or hernias with those trolleys you are pushing!”
I found myself laughing… and at the checkout point in that moment …it did much to relieve the tension.
So make a promise to yourself; take your awareness from tracking the media coverage for an hour or so every day. Force yourself to watch or engage in something that brings you joy and laughter … and Just Laugh Out Loud!
You will be helping your own health… and doing your heart a favour!
In The spirit of the Blitz,
Jacky.
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