"You can't deny laughter, when it comes it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants." Stephan King, "Hearts in Atlantis"

I love this quote, because for me it is so true. I can't tell you the times I have tried, in vain, not to laugh. Trying to contain my laughter, is like trying to stop water bubbling over the top of a waterfall in these situations. And most often ends up completely backfiring, and the situation much worst then if I just let out a little giggle instead of fighting it. Ususally when I fight it, I end up snorting, then laughing like a ninny because I snorted, and then the whole thing goes to hell in a hand basket. This has happened to me at church, at school, and other opportune moments.

Its much worst when I have family near me. For instance, last year after my grandmother's funeral, my aunt, my cousin and I stayed up talking. Taking comfort in one another, sharing our grief. Eventually we started laughing and giggling over stories about my grandmother, little things that may not seem humorous to others but to us little inside jokes, gifts from my grandmother to help us smile in a time of utmost sadness. How she taught us to kick off our underwear and catch it - a trick that is sure to delight your future husband one day. How instead of mashing her strawberries, she blended them instead. How she drove away from a gas station with the air hose still attached to the tire, and a week later at the same gas station she drove away with the gas pump still in the gas tank.
It was late- well past midnight, our respective significant others asleep long ago. We sat on the couch next to one another, or in my aunt's case sprawled across my cousin and I. My aunt commented, in a way only close girlfriends might to one another, that she had an itchy "clam" I, slightly drunk off laughter, made up a song about itchy clams. This sent all three of us into a fit of giggles and uproarious laughter, the kind that takes the breath from you, where your belly hurts, and tears roll down your face. My aunt has a nifty trick she does, well not really a trick, but at times her foot will spasm, and her middle toe will stick straight up, it looks like its flipping you off. I'd find it offensive, if it wasn't so damn funny.

Well me singing the itchy clam song again for the third time to her laughter, she stretched out her legs on top of me and my cousin, and had that foot spasm. Which just made my cousin and I laugh harder. In great gasping breaths I tried to roll her off of me and make a dash for the bathroom, but I couldn't, my aunt was gasping for her doing her "potty dance" stance laying across me, when my cousin jumps up starts hollering "get up Meme's going to pee.." well that did it for me, and I couldn't hold it any more. I wet my pants, my aunts new couch, finally rolling her off the couch, I collapsed to the floor, laughing harder then I was before, trying to explain it was me. I went and changed, and we moved to a different area of the living room, continuing our talk. I don't think we made to bed much before six the next morning.

But six short hours later, I sat in an overcrowded over heated high school gym as my little brother graduated from high school. During a tearfully, beautiful "You raise me Up" sung by these high school seniors, I started to think on the last nights events. Soon tears were rolling down my face, my body shaking, as I struggled to contain my laughter. My uncle thinking to console me, rubbed my back, as I laughter great guffaws into my husband's underarm. To this day, if I think about the couch incident, I laugh. no matter where I am or what time it is, or who I am with.

Laughter, for me truly is the best medicine, it makes things seem so much better. A lot of times, especially recently if I hadn't laughed I would of cried. Laughter is so much more cleansing. It truly settles into the soul, and takes root there, making the moment infinitely brighter, infinitely more positive.

If your wondering, I did buy upholstery cleaner and cleaned my aunt's couch, I think that was the most embarrassing moment I have with in my family. Lord knows I have had many.

The point of this long rambling post? I think we need a little more laughter. Some good old fashion, laughter, the kind you most likely experienced last as a kid. Where tears roll down your face, your belly hurts from the strain, your breathless, and yes maybe you pee a little. To many of us as adults take everything so seriously. I am proud to say that I have a good belly laugh as my grandmother would say, at least once a day. Sometimes over something only I find funny. sometimes over a past joke, or remark. Sometimes, just because if I don't laugh, I will cry.