I was interviewed about the role that humor plays with being dyslexic. Here is part of the interview.

Did you always have a sense of humor?
Well, yes and no. I always felt I had a sense of humor but when it came to being dyslexic I was very sensitive.
Why is that?
I received a lot of criticism and teasing from people. For example, kids at school poked fun at me and called me “stupid”. There were many times I missed lunch just to finish an assignment that the teacher wanted done. I spent hours in front of a chalkboard working on misspelt words. I often wasn’t allowed to go to recess because my work wasn’t completed. I was given extra homework on top of all that.

In the Special Ed classes at school they kept changing teaching methods. As soon as I started to understand, they would change what they did and I started all over again. I never felt that I could get ahead.

Family wasn’t always supportive. Sometimes I was criticized for not being better at spelling, or reading. Or, if I gave a talk at church, many people said I did good just getting up in front of other people, but family would often point out what I did wrong.

What was that like?
The negativity was just plain frustrating.
Where did you get the idea of having a sense of humor about being dyslexic?
My grandmother from my mom’s side. She would tell me, “Life is too short to waste on feeling sorry for yourself, so be willing to laugh at yourself and your world will be happier.”
What was your reaction to that idea?
Well, at first I didn’t understand. I was just a kid. As I got older I came to the realization that I can be miserable or be willing to laugh at myself, relieve the stress, and learn to love my life.
What was your process for developing a sense of humor?
First I realized that what I was doing did not work. Second, I started to change that day and work on being a better me. I wanted to be happy. You work on it every day all your life. It’s a lifetime pursuit.