SUFFOCATED BY THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD?

According to an article in the newspaper Monday, there's what is called the Chicago Live Life Laughing Club. It's designed to help people laugh, and the reason is to reduce stress. These laughing clubs are springing up all over the country in meeting halls, recreation centers, and church basements.

Called "sanctuaries of sillness" in the article, they're where "the burdened go to forget what brought them there."

"There are no jokes or wacky props to illicit laughter," the article states.

Members of the group simply act out funny situations, sort of like a game of charades, and other members of the group force out laughter: "Ho, ho, ha-ha-ha." "They fake over-the-top cartoonish laughs designed to prompt a real one."

"In short, you fake it until you make it," says Doug Dvork, who founded the Palatine, Illinois club last year.

What are these clubs doing for their members? They're relieving them of stress of life and downer-type feelings, a suffocation "by the weight of the world."

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This goes along with the scripture that says, "A merry heart does good like a medicine."

My aunt and uncle used to sit in the evenings and read joke books aloud to each other. I think this is a great thing to do. Laughter is sooooo beneficial.