LAUGHTER...

There is just not enough laughter in the world today.  People seem to be more serious these days, and while there is a time to be serious, there is also a time to laugh.  Not just a giggle, but a true deep down tears rolling down your face it's just too funny laugh that can't be stopped no matter how hard you try. 

I used to share a lot of these with my sister.  One time I remember it hit us at the dinner table one night.  Dinner time was sacred at our house.  Food on the table as soon as my father got home from work, and we all sat down together to discuss the day's events.  One particular evening something said (trying hard, but I can't remember what) really tickled our funny bone, and my sister and I erupted in laughter.  We tried to stop, but couldn't.  Finally my father got so mad that he sent us from the table to the bathroom with the words, "Don't come back until you stop laughing."

Now this really should have frightened us into compliance because my dad (Pop) could be a formidable force.  As we walked into the bathroom still giggling, we looked at each and again tried to stop.  We finally wiped our eyes and stopped (or so we thought.)  We were quiet as mice as we exited the bathroom and made our way to the kitchen.  We stood in the doorway and watched our parents still engaged in dinner stop to look at us.  We had just picked up our feet and crossed the threshold, when that laughter bubbled up inside us again.  We turned and ran into the bathroom again, and out of the corner of my eye caught the sight of my mother start to laugh.

My memory is a bit fuzzy on the rest of the details.  I assume that we eventually returned to finish dinner, and more than likely my father had retired to his bedroom to wash up after a long day at work which was the ritual, but I can't be sure.  It remains a happy memory so nothing significant must have occurred.  And we lived to laugh again.