Years ago, a friend of mine asked me what my favorite sound was, and without hesitation, I responded, “The sound of my daughters’ laughter.” Even though it has been a number of years since that question was first posed to me, my answer remains the same. It is especially true during a time that has seen each of us shed a lot of tears over the impending death of my daughters’ paternal grandfather.
So, as I strive to maintain a sense of normalcy during a time that feels anything but ‘normal’, the best thing that I could do for myself and for my extraordinary daughters was to laugh . . .a lot! The girls spent the day wrapping up school projects, while I finished some household chores and prepared for the week ahead. We weren’t all work and no play, though, as bedtime turned into an unexpected laugh fest.
As I tucked each of my daughters into bed, our normally quiet bedtime routine was replaced with peels of laughter caused by our silly antics and goofy jokes, with some tickles thrown in for good measure. Instead of encouraging them to quiet down, I joined in and added to and encouraged the fun. It felt like such a sweet relief for the pain that has been hovering in our minds and hearts ever since last Monday when we got news that their grandfather had suffered a massive stroke and had no brain activity, shortly before watching the tragedy in Boston unfold before our eyes on the news.
As much as I would like to say that the silliness that commenced was about the girls, the truth be told, it meant as much to me as it did to them. There are no better gifts to give to yourself and others than love and laughter, and I feel immensely grateful to have given and received both to end this Sunday.
Just one thing each day . . .
Categories: Just One Thing Each Day
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