Reflections on Laughter
by Orly Wahba
When I think of laughter one of the first memories that comes to mind is the famed Mary Poppins song, I Love to Laugh. Mary Poppins was and still remains one of my absolute favorite movies. Not simply because it transports me back to childhood, but because of the lessons of positivity that resonate through the entire film. For those of us who’ve seen Mary Poppins time and time again, we can’t help but fall in love with dear old Uncle Albert and his wonderful song, I Love to Laugh. Regardless of what mood you find yourself in, it magically brings a smile to your face and laughter to your heart. So what is the message behind this whimsical song?
“The more I laugh, the more I fill with glee
And the more the glee
The more I’m a merrier me”
Life isn’t always so clear cut. There are ups, there are downs and there are a vast array of times in between. Times of laughter and joy, of sadness and sorrow, but if we remember to infuse each day with a bit of laughter, finding our own unique way to make light of oftentimes very difficult situations, we don’t magically transform the situation, but we allow ourselves to push through and seek out the reasons within our lives to laugh. The more we laugh, the more our lives become filled with glee. The more the glee, the more we’re a merrier we!
We all have those go to’s in our life. The small things we do for ourselves that make us laugh and for a brief moment put the hardships we may be facing on pause. For some it’s spending time with the family or being in the presence of children, for some it’s listening to music, watching a funny TV show or browsing through the latest comedic bits on YouTube. I personally always end my day, regardless of how late it may be with an episode of Friends – a good laugh is always the best way to end the day!
Wherever your laughter comes from, make it part of your daily routine, even if it’s just a few moments each day. When we laugh and put joy into the world, oftentimes the world finds more reasons for us to continue laughing.