The Best Medicine

There is so much heaviness in the world. I don’t think anyone watches the news these days and feels good about what they are seeing, regardless of their political affiliation. Look away from the news, and there is still so much brokenness, heartbreak, and grief. There is sickness and loss and so many things that aren’t as there should be. There’s a whole lot of anger, rage, and fear. There is depression and anxiety.

And it can just be so overwhelming. I sometimes find myself totally and completely consumed by the heaviness, the sadness, and the fear. It all just feels so big and heavy, and it can be hard for me to see outside of it.

This week I was feeling the heaviness so strongly, wearing the weight of it like a heavy blanket. By Friday afternoon I was tapped out. Exhausted, overwhelmed, and emotional. What I wanted to do was curl up on my couch and go to sleep.

But I have kids, and that wasn’t really an option. And on Friday afternoon, my kids were in really good moods. Really good, silly moods. I was giving my daughters baths, and they were making the most ridiculous jokes that made no sense at all. You know, the kid jokes that go, “Why did the chicken cross the road? Because it saw a hippo.” Followed by hysterical laughter.

There are few things in the world that I enjoy more than watching my kids laugh. Not the small chuckles or polite giggles, but the laughter that comes from their toes and takes over their whole bodies. Both girls had soapy bubbles in their hair and on their chins and they were laughing so hard that I started laughing.

And the harder I laughed, the harder they laughed. And it was such silly nonsense, but we all laughed so hard we couldn’t sit up straight.

And it was wonderful. I’ve always believed in the healing power of a good, hard cry, but lets never forget about the healing power of a good, hard laugh.

Anne Lamott calls laughter, “carbonated holiness,” and she is definitely on to something. Just like there is something sacred and precious about tears, there is something sacred and beautiful about genuine, heart-felt laughter.

Laughter is a gift.

When it’s easy to be consumed by the heaviness, I am going to look for the light. I am going to look for the laughter and the joy and the soapy bubbles of carbonated holiness. I’m going to light more candles and turn on more twinkle lights. I’m going to give myself freedom and permission to look for joy, even on the dark and hard days.

I know that there are some people who have to practice being open to sadness and fear and anger, who are sometimes shut down to the hard and the heavy.

And then there are others, like me, who have to practice being open to laughter, to joy, and to ease. And not just being open to it, but searching for it.

And so, I’m on the search. I’m on the search for carbonated holiness. I’m finding it in yellow leaves in the sunshine, the dimple on my infant niece’s cheek when she smiles, my very soft buffalo plaid blanket, and big hugs. I’m going to find the laughter and the light and I’m going to hold tight, believing with my whole heart that Light has come into the world and the darkness will not overcome it.

#relationships #selfcare #perspective #gratitude #technology #laurenshaw #arlingtoncounselingassociates #thearlingtoncenter