Laugh an Extra Laugh

In The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin writes about how she tried to add more laughter to each and every day.

Since I read that book in spring, this thought has stuck with me. How does a person laugh more? Being married to Ben has made me laugh more. Having kids has made me laugh more. Could I find a way to add some more laughter?

I think I have found a way. Over the last few days, I’ve found myself laughing longer. The girls say funny things, and I laugh just like I usually would, and then I laugh it little bit longer.

Maybe it’s not that funny.

But maybe it is. Maybe I’m okay with being overly amused by the little things.

I remember being in junior high and high school, and having to hold back my laughter – I could only laugh at what everyone else was laughing at, or  I would be mocked. And I could only laugh as long as everyone else did, or I’d be made fun of for finding something funnier than it really was. Or I would be made fun of if I didn’t laugh at all when everyone else was laughing.

Thank goodness that high school does not last forever. Now I can laugh whenever I want, for as long as I want.

So I think I will. While I’m in the mood, I’ll laugh an extra laugh.

A cheerful heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.(Proverbs 17:22)