Laughter...

So, I have heard my entire life how distinct and different my dad's laugh is. Everyone comments on it.. it's loud, joyful, and you can't help but laugh with my dad when he laughs. His whole body gets involved in the laugh, almost as though it is coming from the very core of who he is, and that causes his body to react the way it does. Pure joy that you can see and hear... It is one of a couple of my all time favorite sounds..

And then, as I got older I began hearing the same comments about my own laugh. I never really thought much about my own laugh growing up because it doesn't even come close to rivaling my dad's... I mean my older brother is the closest, and sometimes his sounds exactly like Dad's... So, in comparison, I had never really thought my own laugh because I had always heard about his... I just never thought about it because it was nothing like the way my dad's is.

And, then one day I was sitting next to my dad and someone in our family said something funny and Dad and I busted up laughing.. and I realized.. we laugh the exact same, only his is deeper and louder, and mine basically is just the feminine version of his. Haha I love it! Now, THE single most comment I hear is about my laugh, and I mean virtually everyone comments on my laugh. It doesn't bother me at all, I find it rather amusing, especially since I have had people detail out the pattern of my laugh, and I have had people explain to me the way it sounds to them... I love my laugh, it can be loud, and I am sure to some it's obnoxious... especially since I laugh so much... But, I love my laugh because it does come from the core of me. I can't laugh without my whole body taking part in the laughter, and I can't help but find most things in life amusing to some degree. I like the fact that my name means joyful, and that I express that all the time.

Sometimes I can't tell if my laughter draws people in.. or if it's just their desire to "be in the know"... but, whatever it is it draws attention because there are sometimes that I feel like all eyes are on me, just watching me react to things. Not in a "I want to be center of attention" kinda way, but just a... feeling or I'll notice people watching me as I Laugh, and joke around, being incredibly animated (because apparently that's another thing I do). There are times and places, that I feel like people are just... observing and, almost taking it all in. Maybe, I am just crazy and paranoid, but honestly I tend to be fairly perceptive about those kinda things.

So, if my only interaction with someone is their observation of me laughing and interacting with others... I hope they see the Joyful Little Christian, and it strikes a chord inside them down to their core. I hope that they can see my joy, even when I am not happy or worse, when I am angry or hurting. I hope they can still see the joy and hear it in my laughter when life is not easy. Because honestly, laughter helps me heal. Somehow God uses it to restore me when I am broken inside. He uses the laughter to mend, comfort, remind, and hug me when I am in need of my Savoir. I don't know how, but it works.