Searching for Laughter

I received a comment about the “Laugh, think, cry” post where someone said she agreed with laughing and thinking, but not so much the crying idea. I get that. Crying takes work, be it for reasons happy or sad. It also is no good for the general appearance, specifically with the potential of smeared makeup and red-rimmed eyes.

Three times already today I’ve experienced a very happy type of feeling that can easily lead to tears as an expression of feeling a high level of emotion. My running buddy recounted a story about her dad while she was visiting him over the holidays that was very touching. I read a story about 288 customers in coffee shop who all played the “Pay It Forward” game today. Heart-warming stories like that evoke warm, fuzzy feelings in me that cause tears to prick the eyeballs. And anytime I really start to count my blessings or open my heart in prayer – that same high emotion causes a welling of tears.

The crying isn’t my challenge. I find that for me, the one I’ve been having issues with is laughing. It surprises me, as I view myself as a very cheerful person, quick to see the humor in any situation. I smile frequently, make many jokes (I try to not make those at the expense of other people, preferring instead comedy of the self-deprecating variety, plays on words, or irony), and love a good internet cat video as much as the next person.

But a full-on laugh? Anything more than a chuckle is rare for me on a daily basis. I can generally count on a belly laugh 22 times a year when “America’s Funniest Videos” is on at our house, not because it’s always greatly amusing to me, but because it IS greatly amusing to cimblog™ and watching her laugh is seriously funny business.

The closest I’ve come to an actual laugh today, so far, was when I asked my roommate if my outfit consisted of too many colors. She scrutinized me then said, “Well, probably no one will notice.”

I agreed that was most likely the case, but it didn’t really answer the question. I’m not entirely sure that getting a wry chuckle out of my own fashion-challenged self qualifies as a laugh.

The thinking part of today – is thinking about laughing. That in and of itself is funny, actually. Although it is only making a corner of my lip go up in a smile, not a full-on laugh.

I’m still in search for the perfect day this year. I did laugh yesterday – a genuine laugh caused by pure joy, but I’m not sure I did a lot of thinking. I know it’s only the second day of the year, but I don’t think it’s too much to accomplish three simple things in one day. Turns out, they’re not so simple.