LAKEPORT >> During times of difficulty, it may seem impossible to find humor in the situation. However, laughter and levity may be just the thing to help individuals rise above the occasion, says Allen Klein, a professional therapeutic humorist. Klein will share his message of the benefits of humor during two free presentations on Saturday in conjunction with the “Heroes of Health and Safety Fair” at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
Klein’s presentations will be at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The speaker plans an interactive presentation.
“I want to show the audience the value of humor, to give them tools and tips to use in everyday situations,” he said.
Using the letters in the word “laugh,” Klein will talk the audience through “Letting go; Attitude; U (you); Go do it; and open your Humor eyes and Humor ears.” He hopes attendees will gain a new perspective.
An award-winning speaker and an author of 25 books, Klein credits his own experiences for propelling him to help people to deal with challenges and “not-so-funny stuff.” In the mid-1980s, Klein faced his own challenge. He had to cope with his wife’s death.
“She always said I made her laugh. We laughed a lot together,” said Klein.
Following the loss, the Bay Area resident enrolled in the Holistic Life Institute’s Death and Dying Program.
“I wanted to know more,” he said.
About the same time, he became a hospice volunteer. He was one of the first volunteers with San Francisco Hospice, offering his help to families and sitting with patients. Klein said he sought his master’s degree. To complete his program, he was required to do a colloquium. He approached several colleges with the idea of doing a class to fulfill the requirement, and one of them hired him to conduct a six-hour course. About the same time, he was invited to be a speaker at a nurses’ luncheon.
“I almost failed speech in college; I hated to get in front of a group,” Klein said.
However, he earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation from The National Speakers Association.
He was encouraged to boost his success at speaking by writing a book. His first book, “The Healing Power of Humor,” a tribute to his wife and her humor, was published in 1989.
“Laughter helped us rise above the situation (when his wife was dying),” Klein said.
The book is now in its 40th printing and ninth foreign language, according to the author.
The speaking, writing, and “wanting to get the message out” all came together about the same time, Klein explains.
“In every negative situation, there is always a positive. Sometimes it is hard to find it,” Klein said. “From difficult situations, we learn lessons; we wake up when things are not going along well. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to get there.”
Hospice Services of Lake County invites the public to hear Klein’s take on the value of humor during challenging times. For more information, about the presentations, call the hospice services office at (707) 263-6270.
The Lake County Fairgrounds are located at 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.
