Forget It...I'm Laughing
So the other morning I was sort of stumbling and grumbling through my morning. Walking the dog. Wishing my patella would stay where it's supposed to (as opposed to painfully floating to wherever it wants). Thinking 5:20am is to early to begin anything especially a day. Happily packing my lunch (actually, this is a lie. Packing lunch is the Worst. Job. Ever.) So unhappily packing lunch and I had an epiphany.
Don't ask why at that particular point. That's how it is with epiphanies sometimes. You can fast and wander in the wilderness and sometimes you get nothing. You can just try to get your morning started and BAM! lightening bolt.
Anyway, I realized that twice in the last week, I've shared jokes with friends then said that I laughed way harder than I should have. Granted the jokes in question were a bit off color/inappropriate but the friends in question were friends I've been joking with in this way forever.
So why am I qualifying my laughter? I have decided that this is definitely not okay. I'm the woman who used to totally embarrass my children by laughing loudly in the movie theater even when no one else did. I told them life is too short not to laugh if you've amused, even if you're the only one laughing. (And they have embarrassed me plenty over the years).
If a yoga student suddenly chuckles, I never find it disruptive. I laugh too and point out how healthy laughter is for us and how we all need to do more of it.
I like my sense of humor. It's one of my best traits and I truly believe I might not have survived life without it. I've always told my husband that no matter what is happening, if I still have my sense of humor, I'm okay. I may be sad or angry or heartbroken or lost but if I can still find something funny in it, I'm okay. If I lose my sense of humor (and I have a few times), then he can genuinely begin to worry about me.
So no more qualifiers. No more apologies for laughter. Laughter increases resilience and lowers blood pressure. Laughter increases endorphins. Laughter is really, really good for you. I'll laugh as hard as I want, my friends and you should too.
Don't ask why at that particular point. That's how it is with epiphanies sometimes. You can fast and wander in the wilderness and sometimes you get nothing. You can just try to get your morning started and BAM! lightening bolt.
Anyway, I realized that twice in the last week, I've shared jokes with friends then said that I laughed way harder than I should have. Granted the jokes in question were a bit off color/inappropriate but the friends in question were friends I've been joking with in this way forever.
So why am I qualifying my laughter? I have decided that this is definitely not okay. I'm the woman who used to totally embarrass my children by laughing loudly in the movie theater even when no one else did. I told them life is too short not to laugh if you've amused, even if you're the only one laughing. (And they have embarrassed me plenty over the years).
If a yoga student suddenly chuckles, I never find it disruptive. I laugh too and point out how healthy laughter is for us and how we all need to do more of it.
I like my sense of humor. It's one of my best traits and I truly believe I might not have survived life without it. I've always told my husband that no matter what is happening, if I still have my sense of humor, I'm okay. I may be sad or angry or heartbroken or lost but if I can still find something funny in it, I'm okay. If I lose my sense of humor (and I have a few times), then he can genuinely begin to worry about me.
So no more qualifiers. No more apologies for laughter. Laughter increases resilience and lowers blood pressure. Laughter increases endorphins. Laughter is really, really good for you. I'll laugh as hard as I want, my friends and you should too.
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