Wacky Wednesday - *Warning, no writing related content is contained in this post*

Life is funny. I think by now most of us have figured out that if you don’t learn how to laugh a lot than you’re going to be crying. My problem is that that I’ve learned to do both in abundance, and over years my giggle and tear reflexes have become extra sensitive (probably from over use). The result is that I laugh and cry at the drop of a hat and at the most inconvenient times ( Jenni’s post on her school assignment got me thinking about this [I think she has my same problem, at least the laughing part ]). So when do I laugh? When I was young I would laugh when I was getting in trouble. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful; it was just my way of dealing with an uncomfortable situation. I also tended to laugh when other people were getting in trouble. As a result, I have the high distinction in my family of being the only child out of six who was ever slapped. Yep, right across the face, but don’t remind my mom about that one. It scarred her emotionally. Not me, I think it’s funny (of course I do because that would be inappropriate).

Some of my other favorite times to laugh would include: during very quiet church meetings, when my husband is upset at me about something (okay when anybody is upset with me, really), during family meetings, and inevitably when it’s time to pray. Just recently I started a prayer in front of my entire husband’s family with the words “We are thankful.” No introduction, no requisite beginning, I just went right into the prayer and then realized what I had done. I was so embarrassed that I laughed for like ten minutes which was bad since the food was getting cold, and my father-in-law insisted I still say the prayer. So eventually I giggled my way through.

Crying is another story. I cry at all the right times, when I’m hurt or frustrated, when I’m worried about someone I love, when something spiritual touches my heart, and when I see anything moving, like the Olympics, or a T.V. commercial, or a sad cartoon. See totally appropriate. Right??

I’ve come to terms with my emotional defects. I’ve actually learned to embrace them. I think my philosophy in life is be happy, or be sad, but don’t just sit around somewhere in the middle. Life’s too short to be vanilla all the time. Unless being vanilla makes you super happy than just go with it. I no longer chide myself for feeling emotions. If I’m happy, I smile, laugh, and hopefully bring joy into other’s lives. When I’m sad I cry and allow myself to be sad. I no longer think of sadness as bad. It just is. I’m not suggesting wallowing in self pity all the time. I’m just saying if I’m sad than I’m sad! I just go with it. When I’m angry… I lock myself in my room and give myself a time out.

In the end both crying and laughing have the same affect on our bodies. They both release endorphins which are those feel good hormones. So, experiencing emotions make us feel good. We were created to feel, and I relish that fact!