letterfrompublisher
Laugh More
If you were to drop into one of our family gatherings
with my seven siblings, you would hear a lot of laugh-
ter. At the heart of it all would be our brother Dave. His
lightheartedness and humor is so infectious that it draws
people like a magnet; his wife teasingly refers to his infor-
mal fan club as “Dave’s pack.” It’s a gift he inherited from
Dad, who was still doing cartwheels when he tumbled right into heaven.
Maybe that’s why I feel most at home in the company of lighthearted folks,
people who fundamentally operate from their heart. My closest friends regularly
indulge in song, dance and play. They purposely attune their emotional antennas
to receive the blessings hidden in the most challenging circumstances, turning ob-
stacles into opportunities for growth and the chance to giggle at themselves. This
heart-centeredness flows into all they do.
Is there a connection between joyful laughter and an open heart? The Dalai
Lama always seems to have a big smile on his face and it can’t be because his life
circumstances have been easy, given how his people were driven out of Tibet. I’ve
noticed that even though enlightened individuals often endure tough times, they
keep a smile in their heart.
So many people today have suffered the loss of their home, job, savings
or other means of support that have provided a sense of security and even de-
fined who they are. In addition to economic troubles, we continue to experience
unforeseen environmental disasters, Haiti being the latest example. Maybe the
human race is having its heart broken open so that something new can emerge.
On many fronts we are being forced to decide what really matters, maybe that’s a
good thing.
I wonder what would happen if everyone in the world agreed to stop what-
ever they were doing for an hour and simply laugh. Laugh at the silly ways we’ve
created to keep us separate; laugh at the ridiculous things we’re doing that don’t
work. Mostly just laugh for no reason at all because joy is our natural state of be-
ing—it’s what connects us with the Divine. Perhaps the whole world would shift
and our experience of life would never be the same.
Throughout this month’s special Laugh More issue you’ll find plenty of oppor-
tunities to stretch your boundaries to embrace a more authentic, joyful life. From
jumpstarting your laugh-o-meter at a Laughter Yoga class (page 32) to singing
along with your kids (page 29) and hula hooping with Leandra Harrison (page 25),
we serve up fun ways to connect with others in lighthearted ways.
Researchers recently discovered that a rich network of emotional connections
is the number one reason people are happy—more than money, job satisfaction or
marital status. The simple fact is that we need each other. Given that Valentine’s
Day is the celebrated “heart” of this month, I hope that you’ll find new and deli-
cious ways to connect, laugh and open yourself to love.
Lightheartedly,
Sharon
Collier/Lee Counties
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
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