Laughter IS the Best Medicine

What can I say? The whole family has been sick for a couple of weeks (including myself) and so I am rendered unfruitful. I am, today, really grateful for really, REALLY hard laughter. Sometimes it is really the (I just wanted to say it one more time to make it weird) only thing that can get us through one crappy day to the next. Laughing at a situation that has made us uncomfortable or sad can ultimately heal us from it and turn it into a memory that will continually bring a smile to our faces... It is to this fact that I applaud my family.
My brothers are about the most hilarious people I know. They can poke fun at any situation from our past or something that our family is currently dealing with until they have taken it far enough that even the stuffiest one in the family will burst with laughter.
It has been a problem, at times in my life, laughing at one or the other or both of them at inappropriate times. I think my older brother's favorite time to get me really laughing is in church. We come from a very serious and somber religion that does not take kindly to some kid (or adult, oh yeah he still gets me) to be laughing while some saint is going on and on about how they came to be in their current situation. Its supposed to be serious. I mean really, there is actual crying involved. On my part as well, because I am trying to hold back the laughter so fiercely. It does not matter the kind of meeting or the severity of the looks I am getting from the very official looking gentlemen that sit facing the congregation, he is going to get me. His method is never the same either so there is not a chance that I will be able to prepare myself for the battle. He loves to point out someone doing something inappropriate or just plain funny, or "forget" to turn his phone off during a quiet moment at a baptism and have a ring tone that exclaims "I'm a gigolo, spending lotsa dough"! He will keep the straightest face and then, when only I am looking pull the strangest face at the person sitting in front of him so that even while I am typing this I am prone to giggle. And the sight of all of the people looking at me with slight disdain wondering what is wrong with me, only help to further my brothers delight as he too looks in my direction with a feigned look of surprise. To his glee my father would usually shush me and that would really get me going. Then when I had laughed out loud enough to really cause a bit of a disturbance my mother would inevitably give me one of her disapproving glances that was supposed to silence me and my brother (see, she knew I was not just laughing at nothing) but to no avail. The irritation on her face usually only proved to be enough to send me out of the meeting to "get a drink of water". A further joy to my brother as evident by his shaking head and my mother's utter sense of humiliation. After collecting myself in the bathroom and trying to think of something excruciating to try and oppose my brothers satisfied face I would attempt reentry to the meeting, as not doing so would warrant more disapproval from my mother. I only drew more attention to myself. Further pleasing my brother. Its irritating, my brothers satisfied face... it really is. But I love him anyway and in times of strife, I lean on him and trust he will always be able to make me laugh. (even if it gets me in a bit of trouble)