Here’s to the Humor-Seekers, the Hypochondriacs and the Hoarders

Apparently, I laugh in the face of adversity.

Most of my family laughs at funerals. We certainly don’t mean to. It’s a nervous response and like trying to suppress a hiccup, the harder you try, the worse it gets.

We laugh during church services, too, possibly making us the only Jehovah’s Witnesses kids in the late 60s laughing while the rest of the congregation was gearing up for the end of the world. We took up two whole rows which meant Mom couldn’t be everywhere all the time and we could smell her fear. Once, Dorothy was sitting on her feet with her winter coat zipped, arms and legs tucked in (being a turtle we later learned at the trial) when someone from behind tapped her on the shoulder and she tumbled head first to the floor and balanced there, on reflection looking very turtle-like. Joan, in the back row, got the one-handed-mom-slap from the front row though it was Trish that toppled the turtle. Of course we couldn’t stop laughing.

So, yes, I have been sharing funny memes about COVID-19 and someone on social media said it is inappropriate given the seriousness the occasion. But, I’m not a terrible person. I promise not to hog masks and gloves and hand sanitizer but instead rely on Mom and Google to diagnose and treat what ails me. Google searches today before noon included: Why did my thumbnail fall off? What to do if your dog bites your finger? Why does my pee smell like Honey Nut Cheerios?

The person on Facebook who told us to stop sharing “funny memes” is the same person who’s panicked because she can’t find toilet paper. I can assure you that I’m not hoarding toilet paper right now. To wit (a conversation I had with The Husband today):

Me: I’m going to start using a hand towel to wipe when I pee and save the toilet paper for the real goods.

Husband: What is wrong with you?

With his attitude and no clear answer from Google on the Honey Nut Cheerios question I’m tabling that one for now.

Anyway, I’m just asking: Please, could we just permit each other the room to cope however necessary? Place no blame and make no judgement. Here’s to the humor-seekers, the hypochondriacs and the hoarders. Here’s to being human.