The Greek wedding movie was cute, but the time with girlfriends was better. There is something about going to a silly movie with friends and relaxing and laughing–not stilted, self conscious chuckles, but full-belly-tears in your eyes laughs.
And it seems that the only time I do that kind of laughing is with those special women I love, my blood-family, my church-family, and my girlfriend-family.
My sister and I can heehaw at the dumbest things. She has a gift for finding the funniest middle-school-humor cards. We think they are hysterical. My kids roll their eyes at her cards, acting like they are too cool for them, but they always laugh too.
One of my favorites is the card with the little old lady who goes to a tanning salon and comes out with two vertical stripes down her stomach. Her remark is, “I knew I should have worn a bra.” Bahahaha!
But on that late movie night, I busted out laughing at the absurdity of what I saw right in front of me.
I was walking to my car after saying goodby to my girls. And I rubbernecked.
“What in the the world was sitting in the middle of the street, in the semi-empty parking lot?”
Curled up, head tucked, it was a goose who had settled down for his evening siesta, smack dab in the middle of the road.
Poor confused little guy,
Reminded me of me sometimes.
When life is confusing and dismaying and downright hard, and answers are scarce,
And I want to lay down in the middle of the proverbial parking lot because for the moment it is warm and dark and quiet. And I can hide my head and pretend no one can see me or touch me or hurt me,
Until someone comes barreling around the corner and lays me out flat.
And I wonder when I last laughed.
And I miss it.
It’s kinda hard to do by myself,
I’m not very good at cracking myself up.
But I seek it because I know that it is cathartic for my soul.
A good laugh will relax my tight shoulders, raise my spirits and soothe my soul. And through it, God will remind me that there is good in the world and joy in the world even as the world shakes and shudders around me,
I desperately need that hope.
And then I remember the silly goose. And I smile, and I laugh again.
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Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…
-When was the last time you had a good laugh?
-Share a funny story with me. I need a good laugh!