Chuckles and Cheerful Hearts
When is the last time you had a deep belly laugh? You know, the kind that literally take your breath away? Maybe it was today. Maybe it's been days or even months. But have you noticed that laughter changes things. Laughter seems to change any and every situation. Even a smile can change your entire day.
Sometimes there doesn't have to be a joke or something funny said to bring a smile to your face. When I see an elderly couple walking together, hand in hand, it makes me smile. When I see kids running around so carefree with absolutely no care in the world, it makes me smile. A baby running from their parent laughing at themselves as if it the funniest thing in the world can bring a smile to my face any day. Do you ever see something that just makes you chuckle? Maybe it is something so silly, all you can do is just giggle to yourself. Smiles... Laughter... Change things.
Have you ever been in a season where it seemed as if it took everything inside of you to give even the slightest grin? I went through a season years ago when a genuine smile very rarely appeared on my face. But there were occasions when pure joy would resonate from within the depths of my soul that brought forth laughter that healed. I remember when my dad had just passed away there was laughter through the painful tears. I had watched friends lose love ones and I always wondered how they were able to smile or laugh. It was something I just didn't understand until I walked through it. We hurt. We hurt like never before but we laughed. We remembered stories from our childhood that brought us to tears. Not tears from our loss but happy tears. There is a difference. That is something I am trying to explain to my 7 year old little boy. Not too long ago he saw tears in my eyes and wanted to know if I was okay. I tried my hardest to explain happy tears on his level of understanding. Not quite sure if he was able to comprehend it all but I did try.
When you lose the ability to smile or laugh, you aren't living. You are simply going through the motions of life without truly existing. The Bible even says in Proverbs 17:22 that a cheerful heart is good medicine. I remember in high school when my boyfriend and I had just broken up. I was CRUSHED. My friend asked if I wanted company and of course being the hard-headed little girl I was, I declined. Well she came over anyway with some Logan's and the movie "10 things I Hate About You." Wrong choice. It was not a funny, cheer me up movie. It was a silly little love story that made my heartache even worse. I needed to laugh. I needed to smile. I didn't need to be reminded that my heart was hurting.
Remember as you go through the day to be someones medicine to their hurting heart. Be wise when you try to make them laugh or smile. Don't make light of the situation. But never let life take away your laughter or your smile. Be the laughter someone needs today. Be the smile that someone has been needing for a long period of time. Enjoy life even on the dark days. His word says that joy comes in the morning... Let your morning be now!
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