When you live ten minutes down a dirt road and 20 minutes from town, it can be a big deal when you forget something at home, and she did; my 20-year-old forgot her wallet. She had taken her little brother and sisters to town and realized, as she pulled into the parking lot of Lowe’s, that she didn’t have it with her. She called to ask if I would bring it toward her and meet her at the mailboxes (about half way to town), and I said I would.
She was waiting when I arrived. I pulled up so that our driver-side windows were aligned and reached out the window with a wallet. She took it and immediately smiled and said, “Oh, no!” Then, she laughed. She didn’t just giggle; she really laughed. It was that contagious sort of belly laughter, and I couldn’t help but smile. She said, “That’s the wrong wallet.” I had given her an abandoned, empty wallet (just to be ornery). I quickly handed her a second wallet; the one she had forgotten, and she laughed even harder. I laughed, too. As I pulled away to head back home, I felt very proud of her rapid shift away from frustration to joy.
The tradition that discouragement, depression or feelings of anger are to be expected or accepted in the face of difficulty is a false one. When we come to recognize opposition as an opportunity to grow, we can rise above the negative emotions. Resiliency is part of human nature. From the regeneration of damaged tissue to the feeling of waking up refreshed after a difficult mood the night before, regeneration manifests itself. The pioneer credited for introducing the idea of resilience to the study of trauma teaches his students that “The ability to rebound remains the norm throughout adult life.” (George A. Bonanno PhD). Bonanno is also noted for encouraging smiling and laughter as a healthy practice when dealing with stress.
What we do when we experience a stressor is a powerful determinant to our personal outcome. I’m not suggesting you laugh at inappropriate times. I am suggesting, however, that finding the humor in stressful moments will go a long way toward improving not only your mood, but your overall health. Don’t take it from me, search the health benefits of laughter for plenty of information. You might even look into laughter yoga, just for fun.
In the face of one situation that might have angered or frustrated another person, my wise and beautiful daughter laughed, spreading joy instead of negativity. Everyone in both cars shared the pleasure of her contagious laughter.
It sounds simple, but it’s strong medicine: Purposefully laugh every day.
Be well.
Life Cycles
Like the cycles of freedom and bondage experienced ages before Polybius wrote his theories of benign and malignant governments, we continue to cycle today, even thousands of years later. Generations, societies, governments and the governed cycle. Even the earth cycles as it spins through day and night, revolving through seasons and years over millennia and eons of time. Cycles are a theme of living things; growth and decline. We struggle for growth and cycle through periods of accomplishment and strength then ease and weakness. Time spent at ease leads to weakness; a very natural part of the living cycle. This is true for the body, both physical and metaphysical. Among my close friends, I would say this is true for both the body and the spirit. The phenomenon manifests in societies of all sizes, from that of the United States to those the size of the average American family. Around and around we go from weak to strong to weak; from poor to rich to poor. Generation after generation; hum...
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