The abyss stares back and makes me laugh

I love to lighten a situation with a little dark humour. It’s my favourite type. Funerals of even people I adored are fair game. I’m not sure it’s everyone’s cup of tea but I find it relieves the tension in the blackest of situations. Thankfully I’m married to someone with a similar sense of humour but I’d say mine was far blacker. When my husband was in hospital after having his bowel resection after they found cancer I found his hallucinations on the morphine so funny. Not until after a day or two of course but when you’re mistaken for someone from the Human League how can you not laugh?  He thought he had a change of visitor that day.

We both found the fact that his snoring kept the whole surgical high care ward awake a treat. Now I assure you that I’m only a little bit evil. Like most of us I have a dark side, but mine is related to what I find amusing. If you fall over in the street I can’t help but laugh. If you miss your seat and land on the floor then my funny bone is activated. I’ll laugh if I do it as well so fairs fair, even if it really hurts. But if someone needs help or is in pain I can empathise, I’m not a psychopath. Although I did enjoy American Psycho, that did amuse me.

Thinking about it now I probably mortify people. But in my defence it’s a coping mechanism. It’s easier to laugh sometimes than to wail. There’s usually something amusing in every situation, the darkest especially. I’ve stared at a lot of darkness in my life and the best way to retain control is to find a way to turn it into something light, like laughter. From dark, to light.