Saturday morning my husband and I went on our favorite bike ride to the park, where we walk the park and then ride home. It was hot out, even early in the morning. The ride there was great, if uneventful. I was not fully myself however and considered if I wanted to do the whole walk. Not being one to give up easily, I decided to go ahead and walk the whole walk. Around these parts, hills are not common. Part of the walk includes a sandy hill, with tree roots all over. It is a challenge on a normal day, a real challenge on a hot day.

I was sweating and working my way up the hill when suddenly I felt weak. I attempted to push through it. It became too hard and I felt my head swimming, so I stopped. My husband looked behind to see me bent over, breathing heavy. He asked me if I was OK. I replied that I was fine, just needed to rest a moment. Then, I closed my eyes and for the first time understood the many references to seeing stars when feeling faint. I did not faint, however.

My husband asked me if I needed to sit. I was afraid if I did, I wouldn’t be able to stand back up. I thanked my husband for helping me. He laughed at that and said, “Well, gee, I thought about telling you to keep up or shut up, or maybe ditching you here for a golf game. I even thought it might be a good time to say I’m not calling any damn ambulances, so don’t even consider getting worse!” I started to giggle, he continued with further such ridiculous threats. The more he said, the more I laughed and my focus changed.

Next thing, I felt much better and we were able to continue. On the ride home, a gentleman was watering his flowers with a hose in his front yard. My husband called out and asked him to spray us. He did, it was amazingly refreshing. When we got home, my husband told me he had been quite worried, I was very pale and my lips were without color. His jokes helped me. He said, “laughter is the best medicine.”

Indeed, it is.