A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.
I grew up on the old EC comic books before the Comics Code in North American and with all sort of good-natured fun. I never had nightmares I think because all of the old horror stuff that I was exposed to was well meaning in a certain sense.
This has taught me that being pleasant is always so much more productive, for I know well the rewards for being good-natured.
One forgives the critic - perhaps - but never the good-natured friend.
The president's poking fun at himself over what goes down. I thought it was a good-natured performance. It made him look good. But he certainly doesn't disguise the record on weapons of mass destruction. And you feel like saying to people, Just get over it.