Laughter

I’m B A A A C K! It’s good to be home.

I only have five more devotions to read in Meditations for Survivors of Suicide. The one that struck me the most recently was “The Ten Gifts of Grief.”

Your initial reaction may be the first as mine. Grief, as a gift? It’s one none of us would choose to receive. But God the giver of all good and perfect gifts has given me the gift of grief through these days.

As I read the list, my spirit chimed in agreement. Things like pride in my ability to endure, a spiritual growth spurt, a new awareness of, and a desire to, comfort others in times of grief. Ordinary days of new routines, instead of dark despair. But I’ll camp out on the first gift tonight: genuine laughter.

In the first week or two, two incidents involving laughter stand out in my mind. The first was intentional.

My first week back at work, a good friend asked me a question that made me laugh (I don’t remember what it was). He smiled broadly. “I wanted to make you laugh.” He gave me the precious gift of humor.

The second occasion happened when Mom and I went to our favorite breakfast restaurant. We had a new server; she paused at our table long enough and asked “Do you need anything?” But she left without waiting for an answer.

I looked at Mom; she looked at me; and we both started laughing. God’s gift to us, to see and respond to humor.

I’m tired and I’m not sure if I’m making sense. If not, laugh with me and for me. On Friday afternoon, we laughed as often and as hard as we had cried in the morning. And you know, that’s okay.