Laughter

Have you ever heard that laughter is infectious?  I can attest that this is indeed the case.  This past week, while sitting on my deck under the shade of my patio umbrella one afternoon, I was enjoying the quiet and stillness,  while knitting.   The river was a mirror and the Trembling Aspen were hardly making a sound.  They are so sensitive to movement and one can often hear their rustling leaves, but not on this day.  As I listened to the various birds chirping and calling, I suddenly heard laughter.  I wasn’t sure which of the several cottages in the area the sound was coming from.  A few minutes later I could hear the laughter again.  And yet again and again.  It was so calm that the sound was travelling.  After a half dozen outbursts of laughter, I found myself laughing right along with them.  They would laugh and I’d laugh too.  They would laugh again and so would I.  I couldn’t help it.

Today I was at a local car dealership.  I sat down and opened a book by Silver Donald Cameron, “Stirling Silver” and started to read.  As I was reading, I heard the girls at the service counter laughing.  I continued reading and they continued laughing.  They were opening a box of swag or parts,  and talking about food or something.  I wasn’t really paying attention to what they were talking or laughing about, but just that they were laughing and it was belly laughter.  This was 8:45 in the morning, and a Monday morning as well.  I found I was paying more attention to the laughter than the book I was reading, and I was also trying my hardest not to burst out laughing with them.  Finally I could contain myself no more and laughed out loud.    We all laughed.

My car was soon ready and I was happy that it wasn’t something serious.  I had a great laugh with the girls.  I knew this would be a good day.

After lunch, I went for a bike ride.   I noticed a neighbour working in her yard.  She had her back to the road and was bent over, digging in her garden.  I was telling myself not to say anything, as I’d probably scare the bejeepers out of her.  I know sooner thought that when I realized my mouth was open saying a cheery “Hi”.  Oh my gosh, what did I do.  She shot up like she had struck a geyser and let out a whoop.   I had indeed startled her and I felt bad, but I was facing an uphill so kept on riding.  I wasn’t very far from her house when I started thinking about her response to my ‘hi’.  Once again I found myself laughing out loud.  I’m sure if anyone saw or heard me laughing to myself, they would have thought I was a little off.  I only had a couple of kilometres to go before turning around, to head home, and although I laughed most of the way, I thought I had better stop and apologize.  When I got to her house, she was outside talking to her husband.  I stopped and told her I was sorry.  She laughed and  said ‘none the worse for wear’.  The three of us were laughing, as I headed home.

I’ve laughed a lot lately.  Laughter truly is the best medicine.  Sometimes it is just the littlest things that can make a day so wonderful.