Laughter Is my Life Jacket (Page 2)

Many moons ago, a baby died in my belly. I was… devastated, to say the least, overcome by the loss of a life that I’d carried for only a few months. I nearly drowned in the grief, falling head first into the loss, too stunned to resist the gravity that pulled me below. I surrendered, completely, preferring to not come up for air, but I just kept living. And strangely, there it was to rescue me again.

Laughter.

Laughter came for me, awkwardly at first, lifting me to the surface, forcing me to take a breath. At first, just one laugh, but then another and another. One day, I noticed land in the distance, and eventually I thought that it might be nice to be on the other side. Finally, one particularly dramatic wave of emotion came for me and when it had passed, I was up on the shore.

Sometimes, I go back to dip my toes in the water. Sometimes, I need to remember. I might even wade around for a while, but the grief no longer consumes me. Laughter held me and healed me. It carried me through that hell.

Laughter is everything.

And it isn’t just for grief. Laughter builds community, solves problems, disarms hostility, cultivates peace, spreads joy, and a million other beautiful things.

Laughter helps people fall and stay in love. I met Kristin, the woman who is now my wife, on one of the hardest, most gut-wrenching days of my entire life. She didn’t just make me laugh. She made me laugh on a day when I hadn’t even had the emotional capacity to shower. She made me laugh, loudly. So loudly, in fact, that her coworkers later marveled about what might have gotten into me. It was over. I was sold. She was for me.

That was five and a half years ago, and I don’t think that a day has passed without my laughter bouncing off the walls of our home. I’ve lost countless hours of sleep and, on occasion, nearly driven my car off the road, because she made me laugh. I’ve often laughed so hard that tears fell down my face and my belly ached. I have laughed so much that I begged her to stop but the truth is, I never, ever want this to stop. Luckily, it doesn’t have to. We vowed about it.

Duane B.

7:04AM PDT on Apr 4, 2013

Thank you for sharing.

April 4
send a green star

Eternal G.

7:52PM PDT on Apr 3, 2013

Ha so true!

April 3
send a green star

Val M.

1:03AM PST on Feb 28, 2013

Just watched Maru to give myself a smile :-)

February 28
send a green star

Kevin H.

9:20AM PST on Feb 24, 2013

Questions I ask my friends, "What has inspired or intrigued you and what has made you laugh?" Recalling experiences that have inspired uncontrollable laughter is always fun either on my own or with others. I've had a friend for 35 years and we talk on the phone sometimes daily and always find ways to make each other laugh during the good times and the rough times. I have nothing against crying, but laughter is one of my favorite pasttimes!

February 24
send a green star

Ncl L.

6:35PM PST on Feb 21, 2013

Laughter is the best medicine!

February 21
send a green star

Margaret B.

5:32PM PST on Feb 21, 2013

when I'm feeling down, my dog can often make me smile/laugh :)
but that's what she's there for, isn't it. To make me happy :)
I think I make her smile too sometimes..........

Megan M.

9:49AM PST on Feb 21, 2013

Agree completely!

Nils Anders L.

3:31AM PST on Feb 21, 2013

Thanks

3:30AM PST on Feb 21, 2013

Andy K.

10:29PM PST on Feb 20, 2013

The second way to achieve hysterical laughter is to blow one lung full of cigarette smoke into a party balloon, and then to hyperventilate with the balloon. Again laughter ensues and you feel much better for the experience. Both of these methods of improving emotional well being are legal at the moment, although I have had balloons confiscated by the British police on several occasions. (The Masonic Lodge is not the most fun filled religion that I have come across.) However, if you do not drink or smoke I do not recommend that you start by using these laughter makers, just put on an old 'Monty Python' film.