Laughter as a practice in acceptance and letting go

I had a rather blissful time during the ‘Holiday Season’ that recently passed. And the bliss just kept flowing into and throughout January. Oh sure...there were plenty of minor and major disturbances that were calling out to me, but I found they did not ‘stick’ around for any extended period.

I was aware of my heightened peace and serenity. I was aware of my joy. I was aware of the simplicity that life can offer us. I was aware how my thoughts affected my perceptions and how they manifested in the outside world.

Something else was also conscious to me. I was laughing a lot. I was laughing at most everything. When I would make mistakes, or drop things, or interact with people…I would find something to laugh about. Most times it would be just a giggle. But often I would have a good old fashioned, belly-aching laugh.

Over the preceding year I have noticed that my frequency of laughter has increased substantially. But the period during the Holiday Season just passed was particularly covered in laughter, like glitter on a birthday cake!

Normal upsets would be met with giggling or outright laughter. Dropping things was met with laughter. Stubbing my toe, for example, was met with laughter. Hitting my head was met with laughter. Spilling something on the floor was met with laughter. Bumping into things was met with laughter. Walking out into a beautiful sunshiny day was met with laughter. Doing my weekly chores around the house was met with laughter. Greeting my friends was accompanied with laughter. Surprising someone with a kind gesture was accompanied by laughter. More things than usual were being met with laughter. I recall one exchange I had with someone whereby they were expressing upset with/at me; even that was met with laughter on my part (I might say, to the chagrin of the other person; but then that made me laugh too!).

The laughter would not always come right away. Sometimes the disturbance would take hold, initially. But often the cycle of negative or fearful thoughts would be interrupted with a smile. The smile would grow to a giggle, then laughter. I noticed that the laughter was a sign that I was accepting whatever ‘it’ was and letting it go. And in letting ‘it’ go, I was able to see the folly in my previous judgements that resulted in my negative or fearful thoughts.

The laughter became a ‘practice’ in acceptance and letting go. I recognized that my laughter was an outward expression of my inner acceptance of life and letting go of any disturbance that would rob me of my peace.