With Mayo Clinic oncologist Edward T. Creagan, M.D.

Although much of life is serious stuff, we each do meet some funny people who have the gift to make us laugh. OK, so I know that laughter raises endorphins and decreases stress hormones such as cortisol, but it also just plain makes us feel better. And somehow our "stuff" becomes less burdensome.

But now for the interesting part. I spoke at a recent medical meeting and some of my material was funny ... or at least people laughed at my fifth grade class picture. Not too much charisma there.

Then someone from the audience mentioned that we cannot be funny if we have not suffered. Wow! Think about funny people and, yes, often they have suffered. The wealthy, the entitled, the privileged are rarely funny.

Then think about the great comedians ... most came from cultures that have suffered: the Jewish, Latino, African-American communities.

So tell me if I am way off base in thinking that a gift from those who have suffered is often the gift of laughter. Laughter lightens our burdens.

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