Col. Klink, Sgt. Schultz, and Stalag 13

“The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed.” – Sebastien Roch Nicolas Chamfort

I fought a bad head cold for most of last week. Fortunately, I had no outside appointments, so I was able to work from my home office and rest in the evenings. Meanwhuile, Deanna filled her days (and some of her nights) with babysitting three of our grandkids.

If Deanna was home at midday, we ate our lunch while watching an old episode of Hogan’s Heroes, the 1960s sitcom starring Bob Crane as Col. Hogan, an American POW, who along with his fellow prisoners used Stalag 13 to assist the Allied underground movement during World War II. Werner Klemperer portrayed the incompetent commandant, Col. Wilhelm Klink, and John Banner co-starred as the bumbling, but ever-lovable Sgt. Hans Schultz.

Close your eyes and I’ll bet you can hear Sgt. Schultz say, "I know nothing. Nothing!" I’ll also bet you can’t at least smile – if not actually burst out laughing – at the thought.

When Deanna was away in the evenings, I would curl up on the sofa and eat my dinner while watching a rerun of the original Frasier, starring Kelsey Grammer in the title role. His wry wit and dry sense of humor is right up my alley, and I found myself laughing out loud even though I was the only person home… except for Lucy and Coco, of course.

My friend, life can be boring at times… and at other times, it can be a bit depressing. But do you know what the perfect remedy for both of those ailments is? A good hearty belly laugh!

According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter has both short-term and long-term health benefits. It enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air; stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles; and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Laughter also stimulates circulation and aids muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress. Long-term benefits of laughter include an improved immune system, pain relief, increased personal satisfaction, and an improved mood by lessening your stress, depression and anxiety; making you feel happier; and improving your self-esteem.

So, how about it, my friend? Care to join me for an episode of Newhart, M*A*S*H, The Dick Van Dyke Show, or The Beverly Hillbillies?

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President