I’ve been doing a lot of laughing today. One of the jokes that got me giggling was: What do you eat on a Christmas cake that flies through the air? Tarzipan! Of course it’s not always the originality or cleverness that sets me off chuckling. But I love the positive energy it generates.

I admit I’m hopeless at remembering or telling jokes. But every now and again my mouth chucks out a comment or two that get people laughing. Which always gets me joining in the laughter too. I love that we can share a silly, funny, hilarious moment with each other. It’s a wonderful way to spread the warmth and joy that the sound of laughter brings. I also love that in the laughter filled moments we forget to take life quite so seriously. Yes, bad things are happening all over the world. And I know that we have to address how we live together as a global community. But I sometimes wish that before every important meeting there was a half hour laughter session.

Imagine how different it would feel to sit down and talk to someone when you have just been wiping the tears of laughter away. When that feeling of sharing, warmth and friendship is flowing. I know that’s how I feel when I’ve been laughing with my friends. We have been sharing a moment of two of closeness. It took me a long time to recognise the wisdom of laughing my cares away. Yet it was something I noticed in the older and wiser people around me. I know that senior members of my family have been through much tougher times than me. Somehow they hung on and and kept going. Now I can see much more clearly it was the shared laughter that boosted them. Made the world feel less awful for a moment or two.

What a blessing for me today then. Laughing and joking with great friends. Taking me into my Monday morning with a big smile. One I can keep all week if I wish. Because all I have to do is think about the jokes again and I will be laughing once more.

Day 801 of my blogging challenge