“I laugh when I’m with you – more than when I’m with anyone else. You’re different and special”. Last Friday night I heard these words come out of the mouth of a friend I have known for many years. I responded with a quiet thank you. In reality, I was flattered and a little surprised. It is not like this person to say something like that, and I knew he meant it.
Our friendship is one of those connections. Both our lives are busy and time together is limited and precious. It doesn’t matter how long since we have seen each other, there is always instant and on-going conversation. The topics vary and move freely from one thing to another, with each of us sharing openly.
One special part of this relationship has been our sharing of humor. We have always seen the same situations or jokes as funny. The simple hilarity of humanity is often the key to our laughter. Making up silly jokes or rhymes, that nobody else would understand — and then cracking up about our own silliness is not unusual. Laughter and silliness feed on each other and grows. It feels great to have a genuine laugh – from deep in your belly. It is probably the best medicine in the world for us – much better than a pill. Maybe we all need to do more of that. This evening of laughter certainly was good for the two of us
The power of laughter is amazing. It connects us and it’s also contagious. When we bring laughter into our relationships, everyone relaxes. The mood is changed, stress levels are reduced and it improves the social interaction. It is a way of bonding at a basic human level that lightens everyone’s heart.
Have you ever heard someone say, “I have to laugh or I’ll cry”? Sometimes life is so absurd that it is unbelievable. A good laugh cleans out the frustration and is both a physical and emotional release. Our response to stress can be changed. We can see stressful events as a threat or a challenge. How we see then makes all the difference in how we react to them. Seeing them as a challenge changes our perspective away from the negative and gives us an opportunity to put a positive spin on the situation. This lighthearted perspective can be a life saver.
Laughter is a gift we can give to those around us. It is a loving reminder not to take ourselves so seriously and lighten up. Sometimes other people really need someone to help them face a new day with a light attitude. From the outside, we can’t tell the challenges people are facing in their lives – and many times people have multiple burdens that they would not share with others. Being more lighthearted and silly, giving yourself and those around you more to laugh about from a caring heart — this could made a tremendous difference.
In this new spring day – breathe deeply, laugh much, grin more and enjoy!