Laughter

This week's chapter of "The Joy Diet" focuses on "Laughter". I have not been consistent the last 2 weeks in carrying through on Martha Beck's prescriptions. I had mores success visiting other bloggers!

I really related to several other people, especially Laura who wondered where her laughter had gone. I know I don't laugh as often as I did when I was younger. And the deep belly laughs I used to experience are few and far between.

To laugh until you cry, to laugh so hard you find it hard to breathe. These times usually happen when I am so tired, I get giddy. Then anything can make me laugh. The laughter is then contagious. The feeling after these times is a sense of tired happiness. I miss those times!

I did try to list some of the favourite things that bring laughter:

*Playing games with my family (whenever we play Scategories, there is always lots of laughter!)

*Watching good comedy (Mrs. Doubtfire, Tootsie, Corner Gas)

*Hearing or reading a good joke or seeing something on Youtube.

*Watching kids at play.

I found some quotes that really speak to the value of laughter:

"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." ~Yiddish Proverb

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." ~Woody Allen

"He who laughs, lasts." (Mary Pettibone Poole)

"You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing." (Michael Pritchard)

"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." ~Yiddish Proverb

"The recommendation for a healthy heart may one day be exercise, eat right and laugh a few times a day."
http://www.umm.edu/features/laughter.htm

I may not have increased my laughter this week, but I became more aware of how little I astually did laugh and how much I missed it! So, I plan to add that to my must do's in the coming weeks, to make it a daily habit.

Be sure to visit the other Joy Diet participants here.