In my deepest and harshest moments, I find myself sharing good humor with others that brighten everyone’s mood. Seeing people laugh and enjoy their time around me gives me a sense of fulfillment. It’s true what they say, “what goes around comes around”. This applies to the positive energy I bring to others. With life’s challenges, I have developed a strong sense of humor that acts as a self-esteem booster. Making others feel good makes me feel good too—it’s as simple as that. Interestingly, I never consciously approached it from this perspective; I just did it because it felt right. After all these years, I am reflecting on my life’s journey to understand how I managed to overcome so much.
The irony lies in the fact that despite enduring an eye accident that significantly impacted my life, coupled with the civil war in my home country, Lebanon, and surviving through poverty like many others, common sense might suggest I would be struggling with addictions and trying to forget these experiences. But instead, I have persisted and thrived. To do so, I constantly had to shift my mindset, refusing to be held back by these devastating factors. I rose like a phoenix by developing resilience, and my sense of humor played a crucial role in this transformation.
So, my message to you: never give up, especially during tough times. I have faced incredibly challenging circumstances. The loss of my eye, people I know died during the war, loss of my business due to recession, leaving behind my family and best memories due to migrating to US. Despite all this, I kept smiling, walking forward, and creating new funny moments and memories. My developed sense of humor nourished me and helped me keep moving forward.
I encourage everyone to keep smiling and find their own unique sense of humor to share with the world. Let life be filled with joy, and rise like a phoenix, embracing life’s challenges with laughter and positivity. By spreading good humor, you can find the strength to keep moving forward, no matter what life throws our way.
