Laughing Together

Audio By Carbonatix

It is so good to laugh with your family. Recently, I was in a situation with my grandkids and my wife, Jane, where we were laughing so hard together that it almost felt uncontrollable for each of us. And laughing together like that is a great bonding experience, isn’t it? It can happen when you’re playing, when you’re reminiscing, when you’re chatting about your day, or in any number of other ways. (Watching or talking to kids is a great opportunity to laugh!) I would imagine that everybody reading this right now can revisit a memory they have of being surrounded by people they love dearly and just laughing and laughing.

Knowing the deep impact that these types of experiences can have on us, let’s do our best to create moments like this in our homes and with our loved ones. You probably remember that old phrase “Laugher is the best medicine.” The phrase probably overstates things a bit, but I do think it gets the core idea right. I think laughter can be incredibly healing–to relationships, to individuals, and in those moments when you’re feeling lost. In fact, a quick Google search will show that Psychology Today and the Mayo Clinic agree that laughter has positive effects on both our mental and our physical well-being. And it can also help people feel more emotionally connected.

Despite all of this, I’m also imagining the objection that is coming up for some people: “Dan, I don’t have anything to laugh about. Life is hard right now!” And I understand that. I have days like that too. But let’s all work to make sure that those aren’t the only kind of days that we have. I firmly believe that it’s a choice sometimes to choose to find a funny moment and to let ourselves enjoy it. In fact, I have even seen that happen in bleak settings like hospital rooms or funerals. Actually, in dark moments, it seems that laughter might be especially important and impactful.

Whether you’re in a peaceful season of life or a hard one, I truly believe that fostering an environment where you’re laughing together with your family will be a positive, healing experience. There’s just something about looking around and seeing your loved ones experiencing the same joy and abandonment that you’re feeling. It really connects you and reminds you that you’re surrounded by love, even if it’s happening in the face of difficult challenges.