At the end of his book, I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This, comedian Bob Newhart shares his observations of people who have a sense of humor—the ability to appreciate and express the funny side of life. “I’ve noticed that people with a sense of humor tend to be less egocentric and more realistic in their view of the world. They also tend to be more humble in success and less defeated in times of travail.” In other words, having a sense of humor is what enables us to smooth out the bumps in the road we call life and achieve the balance so many of us desire. As the Reverend Henry Ward Beecher put it, “A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs—jolted by every pebble in the road.” The lesson here is for us to lighten up, smile and enjoy the ride.