The Best Medicine

It's been a bit of a long month. It started out with major anxiety issues. Then I got the flu. And this last week my heart is heavy over the sudden loss of the dynamic youth pastor at our church in Texas. Although I didn't know him well my heart aches over the loss that my church family is experiencing. However in the middle of a more difficult month I am reminded of the amazing gift we have been given: Laughter.

I read an article about the importance of laughter this week and how critical it is within the context of family. It talked of how laughter brings people together and allows people a respite from a life that is sometimes more hectic than funny.

Laughter is particularily important to children who need it to feel a sense of belonging and well being. It reminded me of the times when my family in Arizona gets together and laugh over those family "legends" that seem to get more and more ludicrous with the passing of time. And now that we have kids the stories are even better.

My kids love to laugh. For instance, a couple of weeks ago we were all sitting at the dinner table and The Girls's lips were red and swollen because they were chapped. I had just bought her and The Boy new chapsticks and had told them not to loose them. The Girl was complaining that her lips hurt and I asked where her chapstick was.....To which she responded without words but with a look that said "I lost it within the first hour you bought it."

The Boy then pipes up and starts in on how she should be responsible for her stuff and that "Mom had said to keep track of the Chaptick".

To which I replied, "Oh yeah?, Where is your new chapstick?"

"Um, I lost it?"

This is when The Girl, who had just taken a sip of water, burst out laughing and showered her brother with the contents of her mouth. That's when we all started laughing...And cleaning up.

Every night since then The Girl has retold the story laughing (with The Boy) like it is the funniest thing that has ever happened.

Yesterday The Boy came home from school and asked if we could get online and find a website that has to do with a gorilla named KoKo. He wanted us to send money to her foundation because "gorillas may become extinct". I told him that we could look at the site but that we probably wouldn't be sending money. Of course he asked Why? I told him that his Dad and I like to give our money to charities that help people. With tears in his eyes he reached over so I could hug him. The Girl, my 6 year old animal rights activist, who was sitting on the counter licking peanut butter off a spoon, starts indignantly asking me questions: Don't you care that the gorillas are going to be extinct? Do you know that means that there won't be any more gorillas? If we don't send money to help save the gorillas who will?

This was all in a build up to the final blow (or so she thought). With a slight smile on her face she says:

"What if Kona (our dog) was a gorilla? Would you send money in then?"

I burst out laughing...And fortunately so did The Girl. I think he new he should probably laugh at this moment, in the event that my answer wasn't favorable.

Save the gorillas...as if i didn't live with two monkeys.