Reply to How to find humor in a crappy childhood?

Forum Index » Family Relationships

Reply to "How to find humor in a crappy childhood?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote]I think it’s easiest to make things “funny” when you have some distance from them, and when you have someone — a family member or a community, to join you in laughing together from the perspective of somewhat shared experiences. ......[/quote]

This resonated with me as did 04:00's 'editing'.  My father was horrific.  Like 04:00, I can tell stories from my childhood that seem 'normal' and can be humorous but that's because I edit a lot.  My siblings and I do find some humor in our shared experiences, though - most of it in a way that mocks our father.  For example, often when my father was in a rage and walking into the house, he'd yell, 'HEY' in this low, long drawn out, intimidating way that was full of anger and menace.  It's hard to describe but it filled us with dread, fear and anticipatory anxiety.  You knew bad things were about to happen and no matter where you were in the house, you could hear the reverberations. When my older brother moved out, he welcomed us (siblings) into his place by yelling 'HEY' in a tone that was very much like our fathers but with a tinge of mockery.  We all responded in the same way.  It never failed to bring a smile to everyone's face.  When our father died, we started doing it in the home we grew up in - announcing our arrival by yelling 'HEY" in that low, long drawn out way but tinged with mocking laughter.

It's been over 25 years since our father died but we still do it.  We really can't laugh about our childhood but saying 'HEY' feels like a big F@ck You to the old man and that makes us all smile. I guess my advice is don't try finding humor in your childhood if that isn't what comes natural to you.  Find those things that, ugly as they may be, have given you strength or at least that, like us, allows you to mock someone who made you feel like nothing.  Hugs.
[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics