As many of you know, laughter has always been my bailiwick. Well, April is National Humor Month, so we should celebrate with great gusto. I don't know why April is the month to celebrate humor, but it might have something to do with April Fools' Day.

Whatever the reasons, it couldn't come at a better time. Every day the media reports more gloom and doom, and my compartment for negative news is filled. Oil prices soared, political figures drowned in moral crises, home sales plummeted, pet food was recalled, the Antarctic shelves slipped more into the sea, tornadoes struck and sick cows were being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

What's next?

Perhaps a meteorite will create a huge sinkhole in the middle of Manhattan. Wouldn't CNN love that?

It's no wonder that stress levels are at an all-time high and people are not laughing as much as they used to.

Rationally speaking, the world has always had problems. We live in a time when we can access news from all over the world, and therefore we get the opportunity to hear a lot of bad news. If you buy into the fear that continually comes over the airwaves, you will find yourself laughing less and less. The United States has dropped from 11th to 23rd place for the country with the best sense of humor. Too bad, because humor is one of the most elegant coping mechanisms we have, and we need it most in bad times.

Victor Frankl, who wrote Man's Search for Meaning while in concentration camps, said humor is "the souls' preservation." It is hard to imagine a more horrific situation in which individuals found a means to create levity to ease their pain and suffering.

I encourage all of you to find something to laugh at as often as possible. If you can laugh at yourself, you have found the best joke of all.

When laughter seems inaccessible, smile. It, too, will give relief and make the world seem like a friendly place. Remember: "He/she who laughs last lasts."

Loretta LaRoche, who lives in Plymouth, can be reached at getalife@lorettalaroche.com.