The Best Medicine

Sometimes I wake myself up laughing from a dream I am having. Sometimes those dreams are, quite simply, hilarious. Recently, I had to leave work and come home because I was sick with a stomach bug that my daughter generously shared with me. Upon arriving home, I immediately took some medicine and went straight to bed. Accompanied by Julie and Peanut, the resident hounds of my house, I settled in for a deep and cozy "sick" sleep.

Several hours later, my daughter arrived home from work and came into my room to check on me. When she walked into my room, she could hear me laughing out loud. As I awakened to her asking, "Mom, what are you laughing about?" I realized that I was in the midst of a quite hysterical dream involving my son, Brad. Fighting to control my laughter, I managed to gasp out the answer to her question.

"I was dreaming," I said. "I was dreaming that Brad was dating an Oompa Loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." And I then proceeded to guffaw in a most unstoppable manner. I promptly slipped back into the land of dreams and after only a few short minutes of sleep, woke myself up laughing once again at the sight of Brad and his Oompa Loompa date.

A dream such as this always causes me to wonder how and why my mind conjures up such images while I sleep. Brad has been dating a lovely young woman for over a year, and she in no way, shape, form or fashion resembles an Oompa Loompa. And I haven't watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in quite a long time. It sure makes me wonder if I should ever take that type of medication again! When I finally woke up and got out of bed, I felt miraculously better. No rolling stomach, no tiredness, no headache.

I've often heard it said that laughter is the best medicine, and in my case, I believe this to be true. In fact, perhaps my Oompa Loompa dream entered my sleeping mind for that very reason ... to make me feel better and to be medicine for my ailing body.

I'm glad that I serve a God who sees fit to bestow upon us humans the gifts of humor and laughter and fun. So, laugh it up, whether you're awake or asleep, and breathe a thank you to the God of the universe Who may just be laughing along with you!