Laughing Matters

Today I'm thinking about laughter, perhaps because I found this treasure. 
Travel with me back to 1955 and meet my mom.

See her senior year page from of the high school yearbook.

Turns out, she loved to laugh.

 I can't help but wonder if she knew all of the 

the medicinal benefits of laughter. 

Here are a few that I like to share

when I speak on mental health and wellbeing.

Humor as protective armor from stress? I like it.

It's also a resilience builder. 

To laugh.

Often. Out loud. 

A deep, rolling belly laugh.

Preferably with someone. 

Because laughter can be contagious.

Check out this Bianca Spears tutorial on Laughter Yoga.

Then learn how and why {here} and {here}.

Recently, this image has been making its way around social media.

And while the numbers may not be scientifically accurate,

the idea of embracing childlike laughter resonates with me.

Besides finding my mom's legacy page,

another reason I'm reflecting about the power of laughter

is this tribute in which Anderson Cooper talks about

the giggle of his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt.

He taped her laughing just a few days before her death

then shared it during her obituary farewell.

Turns out they have the same laugh.

And when you hear it, you may agree

that it's heartwarmingly contagious.

From everything I've researched, laughter as a choice, which rings especially true if you can be laughing even as you're dying.

Thank you, Anderson and Gloria, for your example.

Now, put your hands together, start clapping,

breathe deeply, get playful like a child, 

and let the yoga laughter exercises begin.

Back to the words in my mom's yearbook:

If laughing is good for one's soul, she'll live forever.

What a playful way to be remembered;

thank you, Mom, for the gift of laughter.