This photo made me laugh out loud. And it’s not simply because I find moose one of such wonderful creatures. They’re just loveable, but not wimpy. Doughty warriors for their chosen, the males crash those huge palmate antlers and go at it. And the calves are endearingly ugly — the face that only Mom & Dad would brag on.

It’s partly the turn-around, of course: the idea that ‘moose hunters’ would be moose equipped w/ all the usual hunter gear, and w/ a human trophy. Turn-arounds are an American humour standby — think of all the riffs on shaggy dog stories, guys walking into bars, etc. We like to be surprised. It makes even a toddler laugh out loud.

We need to laugh more. We need to share happy, goofy things like moose hunter photos. Even if they didn’t really result in 16 wrecks in Maine (the story that came with this photo). In this time of desperate economic need, and hungry children, and 1 in 3 Americans living below, at or within 50% of the poverty line, we need to reach out to each other through laughter.

So here’s my suggestion to you today: send someone the best joke you know. It can be a blonde joke (I give you permission), a moose joke (post that one here!), a knock-knock joke you stole from a 6-year-0ld. It can be the worst of puns, the best of wit. Just do it. Make someone laugh today. It’s the best medicine (and karma) in the world ~