In the last 10 days I have been blessed to be in the company of people whose quick-witted humor has caused me to burst out in laughter…loud laughter. My tears well up, I can hardly catch my breath and I am overcome with a feeling of pure joy. I do not remember laughing this much, and so easily, since I was a kid. I do not know if people are suddenly turning the laugh factor on or if I am just open to it but I am feeling more and more alive as a result. Opportunities to laugh occur every day but I think perhaps I have been much too serious as a whole to enjoy the levity life brings.
No matter the situation, whether it is at work, happy hour, or hiking with a friend, life’s subtle sense of humor has allured me. I have found myself on a continuum of joyful exuberance, played out in honest, deep-bellied laughter and it feels good. I had always been told that I take life too seriously; that I should lighten up. It has taken my late twenties to figure out how to let go and still feel as though I have my life together. In large part, I owe my recent companions gratitude for providing the opportunities to engage in unbridled laughter, as though I were a child with few cares.
I now understand laughter as a necessity. It may not be specifically listed on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs) but I have come to find that along with the basic staples to sustain life, laughter is one of those gifts bestowed upon us to make life not just livable but enjoyable. Laughing has made me feel more youthful and has provided me with a sense of overall wellness and bliss. According to Hara Estroff Marano, the editor-at-large for Psychology Today, “Laughter reduces pain, increases job performance, connects people emotionally, and improves the flow of oxygen to the heart and brain” (http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200504/laughter-the-best-medicine#). I share this so that you too may find the humor in life and allow yourself to respond with a cathartic, maybe even boisterous, laugh.
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May the days between the present and next blog be minimal yet fruitful and may you always shine from the inside out.
