Laugh Today. Laugh Often. Laugh Heartily.

It is always astounding to me how therapeutic laughter is. Laughter brings happiness.

span style="line-height: 1.22;">NASHVILLE, TN - Years ago I spent a lot of time with someone who would make fun of my laugh. I have a loud, hearty, and recognizable (maybe an even embarrassing laugh) and I guess he didn't like it... I'm not sure.

I am also not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the years we spent together I learned to suppress my laugh. I stopped allowing myself to laugh heartily and fully. Years after we stopped spending time together I came to realize I was being trained to withhold my laugh. Each time he would mimic my laugh in jest, I would feel rejected and was subconsciously being taught and told that my laugh was not ok, that it was something of a spectacle.

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After we parted ways and no longer spent any time together it began to register that I simply didn't laugh out loud anymore. I had essentially allowed him to steal that part of me. He had stolen my laughter and my joy.

I honestly don't think it was intentional. I don't think he ever knew how much that repeated ridicule (even with harmless intent) had beaten me down and stolen my joy. It wasn't until I was removed front he relationship and able to reflect on it that I could see it clearly and recognize that a piece of me had been lost. I was less myself without my signature laugh - whether some might find it annoying or not.

When I began to make sense of what transpired through the course of the years we had spent together I was hurt and mad. A little mad at him, but I am mad at myself for giving anyone permission (even subconscious permission) to steal my joy. Joy is mine. It's mine straight from the Lord and we should allow no one to steal it from us.

After coming to realize all of this, I made a vow to myself that I would never again allow anyone or anything to steal my joy. No one can take that from me. I began to laugh again - I mean REALLY laugh - my loud and "obnoxious" laugh. Strange how something so natural can feel so unfamiliar when you suppress it for so long. It took a bit for it to feel comfortable and natural again, but I practiced any chance I could and still do.:-)

I found that my most honest laughter is my favorite kind. I love how it feels to laugh from the core of my being. I love how it lets me experience happiness. I love how laughter is contagious and cheerful. I love to see how people are drawn to it and that in it's purest, most authentic form it really even saves people. Laughter genuinely spreads joy.

Laugh today. Laugh often. Laugh heartily.

Don't EVER let anyone steal your joy. It's yours. Your laughter is a gift from God designed perfectly for you and it's made to be exercised.

Laughs and Love,Jackie :-)

PS - Your laugh is perfect. Use it joyfully and unapologetically.