The Prantha Predicament: What a Childhood Friend’s Laughter Taught Me About Humor
Picture this: it’s the summer of 2024, and my childhood buddies Kush and Bhavna, who somehow convinced each other to get hitched, are visiting us from Dubai. Mornings at our place that week are a treat, mostly because Kush is whipping up his legendary Shakshukas and Frittatas. But one fine morning, the kitchen is under my wife’s command, and she’s rolling out Aaloo Parathas like a Michelin-star chef moonlighting at a desi diner.
I’m on serving duty, ferrying hot, crispy parathas to the breakfast table where Kush and Bhavna are parked. They each snag one, and I’m carrying the third, dreaming of finally sitting down to join the paratha party. But in a plot twist worthy of a Bollywood melodrama, I slide that golden paratha onto Bhavna’s plate instead. And because she’s a childhood friend—I say, in an almost melodramatic tone, “Tu hi kha le pehle” (You eat first). It’s the kind of line that sounds like I’m sacrificing my firstborn for her, but really, I’m just being a goof.
Bhavna? She loses it. Like, full-on, snorting-through-her-laughter losing it. The table erupts into chaos as we turn my fake martyrdom into the joke of the century. Now, let’s pause here. What I said wasn’t exactly comedy gold. In fact, in a different setting, someone might’ve clutched their pearls, feeling disrespected by the host who dared to prioritize their paratha. But Bhavna? She took my dumb comment and turned it into a moment of pure, unfiltered joy.
That got me thinking: what kind of sorcery does it take to be that person? The one who can laugh off a potentially triggering moment and make everyone else feel lighter? After some serious overanalysis (because that’s what I do), here’s what I came up with:
- A Sense of Humor Isn’t Just About Jokes
Sure, being funny is great. But a real sense of humor? It’s about spotting the absurd in life’s little moments—like a grown man fake-crying over a paratha—and laughing at yourself. It’s finding the giggle in the glitch, even when life’s serving you lemons instead of parathas. - Keep Your Ego on a Leash
You can’t chuckle at your own dumb moments if your ego’s the size of a small planet. Bhavna could laugh because she knows she’s just a speck of cosmic dust (a fabulous one, mind you) in this vast universe. Humility is the secret sauce to not taking every comment as a personal attack. - Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
Life’s gonna throw curveballs—flat tires, bad bosses, or, worse, no parathas left. If you can laugh through the crap you didn’t sign up for, you’ve already won half the battle. Bhavna didn’t just eat the paratha; she ate the moment with a grin. - LSMFT: Low Self-Esteem Means Friction and Trouble
To shrug off a silly comment without spiraling into “Am I being disrespected?!” territory, you need rock-solid self-esteem. Bhavna’s confidence let her see my words for what they were: a goofy jab from an old friend, not a UN-level diplomatic slight. - Find the Good in Everything
The world’s a messy place, and the present moment is what it is—paratha or no paratha. Bhavna’s superpower? She accepts things as they come and sprinkles a little lightness on top. That mindset doesn’t just make tough moments bearable; it makes them fun.
So, here’s to Bhavna, the paratha-stealing, laughter-spreading hero of that summer morning. She reminded me that life’s too short to sweat the small stuff. Next time you’re faced with a potentially awkward moment, channel your inner Bhavna: laugh, love, and maybe sneak an extra paratha. After all, in the grand cosmic buffet, there’s always room for a good joke.