How long has it been since you belly laughed? How long has it been since you laughed until you snorted or until tears squeezed out of the corners of your eyes? We love that feeling but somewhere along the way we start to say things like reading a leadership book is fun or organizing a closet on a day off fills a bucket. It might fill a bucket, but I doubt that it feels like fun.
I remember hosting a group in our home. We dined. We chatted. We played a game. But in the middle of that night, something magical happened. Something unplanned. Something beautiful. The room erupted in laughter over something simple. The next day, I received a thank you text from one of the guests—a widow. She said, “Thank you for the laughter. I had forgotten how to laugh.”
Parents are often coached to seize moments with their children, to let the dishes wait and to go outside and play. But I think as adults, we equally need a moment to play, a moment to laugh.
Children are great role models for laughter. Their play shouts fun. How long has it been since you played?
If it has been so long that you don’t know how to have fun, it will take a little excavating. What gives you joy? What was fun as a child? What makes you laugh? Who makes you laugh?
Don’t wait to be invited to hangout. Take the initiative and invite some people to join you in the fun. Have some friends over for dessert and a game. Do you like sports? Go to a game. Better yet, join a rec league. Do you like to create? Take a class, but only if it involves getting your hands dirty. Lectures on a subject don’t count as fun. If you have kids, play hide and seek or tag. I guarantee you will laugh.
Life is hard. We all need a moment to recoup, to rest, to renew.
Laughter releases tension. It’s hard to be stressed when you are laughing. It’s hard to be angry when you’re dancing. Have some fun.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 NIV).
So very well said! Laughter covers a multitude of negative feelings. Laughter is truly living in the moment. We can let go and let God while we are laughing. Thank you for the reminder!
Great reminder! Really enjoyed reading this! Thank you!
So I love that you wrote about this. One thing that I can say is that my husband and I have found in our retirement that we seem to laugh a lot. Especially now that we take care of our grandkids during the week while our daughter and her husband work. In fact, I'm willing to bet that we belly laugh at least once a day. Watching kids play and talking with them will do that to you. 😂 Plus you find yourself acting silly right along with them.
So very true! One of the best things about my husband is the belly laughs that we share.