Laughter Will Soften The Tears

Points to Ponder #5- Laughter will soften the tears

This morning I definitely needed laughter.  Although, I was not quite ready to giggle, chuckle or even smirk at myself or my personal misery.  I am referring to my church experience this wonderful Sunday morning.  It was, of course, Palm Sunday.  So, not only did we get to have an extra-long mass, but we also got palms to create a major distraction in the quiet sanctuary of church. 

There was really nothing THAT catastrophic that occurred- it's just that it felt like it was well over 90 degrees in the church, I had a minor ache in my head due to the margaritas I consumed last night, the mass was extra long and the kids weren't quite in the sit-still-at-church-mode.  I had my one-year-old to wrangle the entire mass and she is not that pleasant to entertain.  Being overly hot with a one-year-old squirming all over you doesn't add up to feeling at peace and one with God:)

So, now, as the afternoon is wearing on and I look back at my morning, I realize that we made it through church.  My son crafted a beautiful cross out of palms (that, of course, irritated me at the time) and probably no one around me sensed my misery.  It wasn't that bad.  And, the two little girls who ventured onto the Alter in the middle of mass ... weren't mine.  They were ADORABLE.  They gave me so much joy.  They gave everyone at church a much needed moment of relief.  If they were mine, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate their joy, their wonder and their need to talk with the priest.  Why, though?  Why wouldn't I have had the same moment if they were my children?

If we can somehow step back from our moments of misery, from our moments that overwhelm us and leave us feel like we are drowning, then wouldn't we be able to laugh a little more?  Wouldn't we be comforted by the fact that minor hiccups in our day can fill us with immense joy?  Laughter does make it better.  There is always a silver lining.  Sometimes we do not allow ourselves to see that lining and we live in the dark.

Take time today to laugh.  Appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly of your world.  After all, if the choice is to laugh or cry, the laughter will undoubtedly make you feel better.  We need our moments of tears.  We need to let go.  But, for just one day, practice the laughter.  Good habits are born one day at a time!