He Who Laughs, Lasts!

“Remember, men need laughter sometimes more than food.” ~Anna Fellows Johnston


I'm not sure I would have agreed with that statement prior to relocating to SEA. After all, I had experienced hunger. Not in a severe state. But I understood the yearning for sustenance to fill an empty void. I could relate to hunger pains and the awareness of feeling faint or weary as a result of the absence of nutrition. However, I had never experienced the absence of laughter. That is until I found myself living in a culture void of true joy. It is not to say that there is no laughter here. But the laughter here is more like rowdy smiles and less like unabated amusement that sends you on a mini vacation.

You know the old saying, “You don't know what you have until it is gone”? I emphatically concur. I never realized how much I laughed until we arrived in a land deprived of mirth and side splitting laughter that makes you spill tears of joy and creates an instant need for Depends. Who knew wetting your pants could be so much fun?

Fortunately for us, we have Jackson. And he generates an abundance of laughter in our home. And while some may find sarcasm cynical and berating, our family is quite amused by the sport. And this has proven to be a true blessing. For at times, the environment in which we live provides a tremendous playing field for the satirical athlete.

Laughter is an antidote which prohibits us from becoming curmudgeons. It is the remedy for a depressed mood, an ill temper, a critical spirit, and a lonely disposition. I've heard it said laughter is the shortest distance between two people. It has also been said that laughter is contagious. It is my hope that we find this to be unequivocally true. If others can find laughter from our joy, and as a result desire the source (or author) of our joy, then lives can be radically changed by the most effortless of acts.

Wouldn't it be amazing to see those rowdy smiles turned into tenacious, roaring chuckles that emerge from a deep-rooted merriment as a result of true inner joy?

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.” ~Jean Houston


Dragons and Lions

As this day comes to a close, so does the fifteen day celebration of Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. 

Since January, our city streets and store fronts have been lined with Chinese lanterns, buildings have been donned with Ang Pow (red envelopes), and gold chains with coins have draped various entry ways.  Billboards and banners display the common holiday greeting "Gong Xi Fa Cai!" which means "Congratulations and be prosperous!"  

During the Chinese New Year there are many festive traditions including feasts, Lion dances to ward off evil spirits, and Dragon dances to summons good luck and fortune in the year to come. 

On this last day of jubilation, I am reminded of other seasons of the year when we choose to express appreciation, joy, admiration, and honor. And I can't help but wonder why we don't embrace this celebratory mindset as part of our day to day approach to living. After all, life, with all its uncertainty, life is a gift. And to ignore the beauty of each day, as marred as it may be, is to disregard the generosity of the giver.

This thought brings back visions in my mind's eye of weeks past. Walking through crowded malls, our conversations were repeatedly interrupted with an eruption of clanging percussion as Asians portraying dragons danced their way through clusters of shoppers. With each interruption, Jackson would grin from ear to ear and eagerly await the noisy performance. What we viewed as an unnecessary interference, Jackson viewed as a pleasant distraction. It was a matter of perspective. We saw unwanted drums. Jackson saw delightful instruments. We saw dressed up teenagers preventing us from accomplishing our errands. Jackson saw brightly colored costumes creating merriment for those who would permit.

With this in mind, I determine to keep my perspective in check. When faced with inconsiderate drivers, paperless bathrooms, and inadequate language skills, I purpose to look for the merriment in the moment.