You know what? I’m just going to say it.

Life sucks.

Anybody who knows me knows I’m (more than) a little overdramatic. And for those of you who don’t know me, now you have that information packed into your head. Store that away for later, or never use it again. It’s up to you.

The point is, no, life doesn’t actually suck. But sometimes it has a way of doling out senseless punishment for no apparent rhyme or reason. Everything is not, in fact, arbitrary, but the will of the universe seems to act in a way that at first blush would appear so.

Like I said — overdramatic.

But as I was saying, it was Thursday night and each day seemed to have one more fresh hell ready and roaring and hot for me to face. I was showering, trying to calm down and clear my head, when I felt a fresh round of anxiety hit me. I started to hyperventilate a little bit, choking on the steam that filled the pod I was in. I grabbed at the shower handle, turning the temperature down and letting the cool water shock my nervous system. As the water washed over me, I found myself laughing. I was relieved.

Or maybe I was hysterical. Potato, potato.

The point is that I finally realized that after the week I had, the only thing I could do was laugh.

See, taking ourselves seriously only does so much. It’s great for getting through the work day, but when you get home, it does little else except drain you.

So we should laugh.

Beth Dreher, for Reader’s Digest, notes that laughter improves memory, blood flow, immunity, blood sugar regulation and sleep.

So please, go on today. Find something that makes you laugh.

Go out and seek something that will bring a smile to your face despite every unfortunate mishap you find yourself inevitably bumbling into.

Because sometimes, that’s honestly all we can do.

Ha ha. C’est la vie.

Andrew Atkins is a columnist. Contact him at [email protected].