Karla Kassebaum

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

I love watching babies giggle. From such tiny little bodies comes belly-filled laughter. When Hannah was little, her sign of a true belly-filled laugh was hiccupping. Once she started hiccupping, I laughed harder and so did she. Now at eleven, with a great laugh still come hiccups.

My husband’s sense of humor is very subtle and dry. When we first started dating, I didn’t get his humor. By the time he explained it, it wasn’t as funny. I get it now, but no one laughs harder at his humor than he does.

I just laugh loud. I can’t help it. I just do. When at a dinner theater, the cast always appreciated my attendance because they could hear me laughing and felt my support. (I’m not sure those next to me cared for it though.) A few years ago, I met someone who matches me in the laughter-decibel level. We’ve gotten some of the same looks!

Life is full of discouraging news, devastation, busyness, and stress. One day flows into the next without much time for afterthought. Chauffer. Employee. Disciplinarian. Cook. Teacher. Entertainer. Maid. Homework Director. Organizer. Just keeping up with the rhythm of life proves to be a challenge. But life without laughter adds to the monotony.

Laughter breaks up the day’s stress. It shrinks anger and melts anxiety … even if for a moment. When belly-filled laughter takes hold, everything else dissipates.

Tell a joke. Style your hair goofy just for your kid’s sake. Play charades. Reminisce about life’s hilarious moments. Tickle someone. Spend one day smiling at everyone you see.

Just schedule some laughter in your day if you must.

Laughter is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it principally in one place. ~Josh Billings

I have reached a personal milestone. It is one that for many years seemed so far off, yet somehow managed to creep up. You know the one … many wear black in honor of the receiver, endless banners and decorations were developed for the special occasion, some people savor every planning moment to make the recipient feel more depressed on such day, and even some beneficiaries of this milestone disappear or hide the news from all. What milestone? The big one … 40!

I have to admit I am one of those horrible people that is usually ruthless when my friends and family hit a milestone. I have given dreadful (but funny for the rest of us) parties for the poor souls, spray painted flowers black, and bought the “old people” gifts that no one will ever use (or admit they do), but everyone is compelled to buy. I was always told, “Just wait until you get there … paybacks!”

As this milestone was approaching, I realized I was really looking forward to reaching the entrance of a new decade. As I have gotten older, I look back at how far I have come and am glad for God’s grace, incredible friendships, and a loving family. Sure a few things I hate to admit are transpiring … the other day my hand was compelled to pull back away from me while reading the newspaper, sometimes I find the music kids play a bit too head-bangin’ for me, and I’m thinking we need someone to take a look at our furnace as we have heat surges from time-to-time.

But my paybacks came in a beautiful package. A Celebration of Life. For all the dreadful parties I have thrown (especially for my sister), I deserved a depressing fanfare. Yet, she did not return such a favor. She and everyone else were (mostly) incredibly wonderful, complementary, sweet, and gracious. It was great!! My sister set out a memory album for people to write in with old photos she included or with means to make your own, my mom created a CD of photos from the past 40 years set to Mozart, my cousin wrote me a beautiful poem, and so many others said or wrote such wonderful thoughts and wishes for me. I loved that! It was just an overall celebration of the past 40 years. (Although my car is now sporting a 40-year-old vanity license plate!)

Then I ran across a saying in my daily calendar:

Some things are better forgotten. Your first blind date. That prom dress with poufy sleeves and a big bow in the front … but special times with good friends are worth remembering.

There are always things in our lives we would rather not rehash, periods of time we wish we could erase and do over, or decisions we wish we could take back. It is human nature. The past 40 years have not all been roses for me and I certainly spent many years feeling like a dead plant not certain I would sprout again. But God is in the recycling business and I love that about Him!

It is easy to forget the many things in life worth celebrating. Too often the problems of today are held too closely to our eyes and cloud our view. So feel free — let your hand pull back away from your eyes to see the whole picture in front of you. Whether it is a smile on a little one’s face, a moment to take in beautiful surroundings, or just a day to be thankful for health and life, take time to celebrate the little things.

My recent special time with friends and family is one of those things worth remembering. It may have taken me 40 years, but I think I am changing my tune — no more dreadful parties. Now just celebrations of life! Celebrations of moving forward to embrace what lies ahead!

Celebrate the incredible things in life!

Do you ever find yourself just doing what you have to do and never doing what you want to do? This morning is one of those times. I have much work to do, a chapter to work on, a meeting to attend later today, a house to clean, research to work through, laundry to hang up … the list just goes on.

But something pulls me away from my list. I look out the window and see snow gently blanketing the ground and all I can think of is sitting by a fire, sipping my coffee, and reading a good book. Instead I fight the urge to sip my coffee while typing, sitting on my hands to warm them, or break away for moments to gaze out my window.

If all I did was what I have to do, and never anything that flows out of my passion or just plain having fun, I’d resemble a ball of yarn after a cat had it’s playful time with me — a big wad of mess. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve discovered there is more to life than just accomplishing the next task on the To-Do List or maintaining an immaculately clean house (well, I never was good at that one anyway).

Running ragged 24/7 isn’t truly productive, healthy, and certainly isn’t fun. We may think we accomplish much, but are we accomplishing what God intends for us or just what we think we need to do? Each of us has a purpose on this earth. Our children do as well. Do we know what that is?

Do we take time to just sit with our kids to talk? Not about what they should be doing, could be doing, or enlightening them on their most recent behavior problem, just talking and being available. Do we know what their struggles are? Can we listen without giving them all the answers, but just be a sounding board? Do we hear or see patterns in them alluding to their passions? Do we see leadership qualities in their infancy waiting to unleash their potential to their world around them?

I’ve encouraged my daughter to not grow up too fast, but to enjoy each day of life as it comes. But what do I show her by my example? Does she get the picture that being an adult is boring, unimaginative, task-filled, and lacking pizzazz?

I’m taking time this morning to watch the snow fall, nurture my passions and allow them to spill out onto the page. I’ll do my work … in a little bit.

Life’s demands will crowd our days if we let them. Our passions and desires can be just a fleeting thought or a memory in the making.