This piece of writing was done in a writing workshop. We were given 20 minutes to write. The topic I chose was Hearing – the sound of laughter.
It’s been said by many that laughter is a form of healing. It takes less muscles to smile than to frown, so you shouldn’t waste your energy on frowning. At least that’s how the saying goes. In reality I’m not sure if that is true, based on some Internet research. Growing up I found that I smile a lot more than I frown. Maybe that is why people say I look younger than I really am – Positive energy.
I enjoy laughing. Not in a vicious teasing way, but in fun and enjoyable one. My laugh would build from within. It would start in my belly and gain steam as it burbled its way up to my mouth. The sound that emitted in its conclusion was an infectious production of both giggle and guffaw. My laughter was very recognizable. If I am in a crowded room of people who know me and begin to laugh there is no doubt as to who the laugher is. Now if I laugh in a room where my family is located, they duck and cover and move away from me as far as possible for they want no connection to the outburst, “We don’t know him,” that is unless they are laughing also.
I’ve seen research on laughter and watched videos of laughter clubs, where people come together just to laugh. If you’ve never tried it, you should. Force a laugh and let it build in intensity until you lose control of it. The best way I’ve found is to start by saying “Ha”, then “Ha Ha”, then “Ha Ha Ha”, continue until your laughter becomes a runaway train. It sounds silly to do, and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you were by yourself or with a group of people that are doing it with you.
What amazes me when one gets into an uncontrollable laughing fit, is how hard it is for the people around you not to smile and start to laugh themselves.
Laughter can also become a defense mechanism when it comes to sad events. I try to make light of serious things because having to deal with them in reality can also become depressing. That works for me; it allows me to deal with tragedy and negativity through positive energy. The difficulty comes when other people around me don’t deal with issues that way and look at what I’m doing as mocking or being insensitive rather than coping. I’ve learned to control that behavior outwardly and maintain a serious façade, while internally I’m making light or coming up with humorous retorts to whatever is happening. It sometimes helps me, but keeping it internal is not as effective as bringing the humor out loud. It also brings on some guilt in that I know I shouldn’t be reacting the way I do.
But that is what laughter is. It’s positive energy, a release of tension and stress, a way to overcome obstacles that might otherwise lead you into an unhealthy state. At least that is what works for me.
