welcome laughter

I recently read that a typical child laughs about 400 times and day, while the typical woman only laughs 15 times. When I read it, I was surprised by the difference — I mean we have internet jokes, our kids, and lord knows our husbands (or significant others) provide great material for folly – so I am left wondering why we are not laughing more? 

Perhaps we get so wrapped up in the worries of life that we don’t indulge in the fun of it. I know that as I get older I worry more. It seems like life brings more and more difficult challenges to me and that my responsibilities increase constantly. There are so many things that I can’t do anything about, yet I feel responsible to help fix.  Instead of giving these things to prayer and letting go of them I carry them like a heavy wool coat on a rainy day.  

I think life is supposed to be more fun than all that. Laughter would not be so good for us if we were not meant to have it abundantly in our lives. So how do we clear out the cob webs of complaints that keep us away from the joy of life? Here are a few things that I try to do.  Sometimes I am really good at these things and other times I get off track – they are a part of the journey…

First, I try to really focus on what I have to be grateful for. Sara Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance writes that, “after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life… you have set in motion an ancient spiritual law; the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.” Second, I try to take care of myself. Getting my hair cut, putting on sun screen, shaving my legs are all little things that make me feel good in my own skin. My brain likes to read and write and be pushed to keep learning new things. And I need a little quiet time to just think and dream and pray when thing get out of hand.

Also, I like to keep things around me attractive. I like flowers. I like order. I like clean. At the end of the day I make sure the sink is empty. I try to get the bathrooms wiped down daily. I clear the clutter out of my car weekly. I am the queen of baskets, bins, and zip lock bags – everything has to have a place. It sounds crazy, but it gives me peace.

Finally, I try to have time for other people. I remember the summer that my grandma fell down the back stairs. With multiple broken bones she came to stay with us to heal. It was the first time I really got to know her for who she was and not by what she did. Until then she was always so busy – cooking, cleaning, laundering, and taking care of the people around her. But that summer she had nothing to do but tell stories and laugh and pass the time with us. From that experience I learned what a gift time is.

So will doing all these things bring more laughter? Maybe not directly, but I do believe that it brings happiness, comfort, peace and the ability to welcome the next 400 times that laughter tries to find me.