Laughter.
It's a sound like no other, right?
When I hear someone laughing, I want to laugh, too. It's automatic. Sometimes, I ask "what's so funny" and get let in on the joke. That feels good, too...to be an insider, someone in the know, a part of something.
I ❤ the sound of kids laughing. Especially my 3 kids. The eldest moved ten hours away so I watch videos or call him when I miss his laughter. It's not the same--oh, there's that grief again--but it heals the sadness. For a while anyway.
My 2 daughters and I live with my parents. (I'll acknowledge more grief while also proclaiming my gratefulness.) We're a normal family with normal struggles but we do love to laugh. We laugh alot around here.
I laugh alot with my boyfriend of 1.1 years. When Ted and I get going, we're like Burns and Allen or Mike and Molly. We keep teasing about starting a YouTube channel. Hmm... maybe we'll record ourselves and upload here? I'll ask him about it. He, too, battles depression. So when we laugh together, we feel better. We use laughter to pull ourselves and others out of the dull drums.
I'm thankful for the Bernie Sanders memes. Even those who don't agree with Bernie politically have laughed about those memes. They've brought people in my circle together. Instead of arguing, we laugh together. It's beautiful. No matter how temporary.
I won't forget the craziness of 2020.
But I'll definitely remember the laughter of early 2021. And any that comes after.
Here's to happier moments! Feel free to share yours!