Ten Reasons Why Laughing is Good for You

Rave:

Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t stop laughing!  I did fall a few weeks ago.  Don’t worry, it was a ‘controlled fall’.  I’m taking what I thought was a gentle yoga class from Erin, who doesn’t have the same definition of ‘gentle yoga’ as I do.  “I think you guys are ready to try a headstand,” she says. “Right, like that’s going to happen,” I hear myself saying.  “Just try it. Any part of it will do.” She made it look so easy that all of us attempted it. I got one leg up then Erin stood behind me, grabbed my other leg and up I went. Of course the minute she let go I fell and immediately started laughing. It was a visceral response.  I felt so unencumbered. I was eager to try the headstand this week, looking forward more to the laughing then accomplishing the pose.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.”  George Bernard Shaw

I had forgotten the joy of playing in the front yard, doing a cartwheel, a somersault or a headstand, landing head over heels and laughing from the freedom of it all.

 

Rant:

I’m not proposing that you do cartwheels, headstands or somersaults; however, ‘any part of that will do.’ Just laugh! Out loud big laughs or inside giggles.  It doesn’t matter.  Laugh. Often.

Laughter:

• is freedom
• is living
• is contagious
• is intriguing
• is connection
• is sensual
• creates vitality
• makes you high
• breaks down barriers
• is fun

 

Attitude:

As Mom and I were talking over pancakes at her favorite breakfast restaurant, a man, woman and a 8 or 9-year-old boy walked past us on their way out. “Hi little boy,” Mom said as she waves at him. I realize as I re-adjust my focus,  I am no longer looking at my Mom, but at an 8 or 9-year-old little girl on the playground of her elementary school, reaching out to make a new friend.  The couple, the boy and I were taken back a bit. Their car was parked in front of the picture window where we were sitting.  As I watch, the boy lets go of his Mom’s hand, walks up to the window and plants his face against the glass right in front of Mom.  He starts making funny faces at her.  He crosses his eyes, sticks his tongue out, takes two fingers and pulls the corners of his mouth down and Mom does it right back to him.  Then he runs back to the car and they drive away.  We laughed ’til we cried, right there, in front of the whole restaurant.  I notice as I look around, people were laughing with us even though they didn’t have a clue what had happened.  The laughter was contagious.  It had a residual effect that lasted the entire day.  Priceless.

We grew up with laughter.  Mom laughs and plays a lot.  That 8 year-old little girl that sat across from me at the restaurant has never left Mom. No matter what has happened in her life, and she’s been through a lot, she has never forgotten the laughter playing on her own front lawn brought her.  We shouldn’t either!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Originally posted 2014-02-21 16:22:17.