Several years ago I broke my Jaw in a head on collison while riding a dirt bike. (Yes, I was wearing a helmet. It was all about the angle...) My jaw was wired shut for six weeks. The "gentleman" with whom I collided walked away with little to no injuries. He visisted me at my home a week or so after my release from the hospital and got a good laugh over my condition. I tried to find the humor in my situation, however it was hard to smile.

Intelligent humor makes me laugh. A twist of a word or a phrase in the right place at the right time can send me rolling. Humor that makes us stop and think, laugh at ourselves, even question ourselves can illuminate our lives - make us better.

Pain, to a degree, is absolutely funny. I've fallen down the last few stairs and laughed at myself to the point of tears. My kids trip and take a tumble and we're all hysterical. I have friends that unfortunately have hurt themselves in front of me and my first reaction is always laughter and then question if they're okay.

I think pain IS funny even when it happens to me. I am terrible with my reaction. I usually need to walk out of the area so I don't give the wrong impression of being an uncaring jerk. Serious injuries don't make me laugh but stupid things that "smart" have me on the floor! Give me a misguided hammer swipe or a non-fatal shock and I crack up!