November 17, 2013 3 Gifts of Laughter 1. This afternoon I drove Miledeis to Nueva Vida church to connect with her husband Willie Santiago, who had been in Buffalo at our Primera Iglesia UMC preaching. If youve never worshipped with an Hispanic congregation, you ought to try it sometime, even if you speak no Spanish. If their music doesnt put fire in your soul, theres a good chance your soul is either soggy or lost. I know very little Spanish, can follow the songs with difficulty if I see the words, am totally lost in the sermon. But the joy and enthusiasm are infectious. Every so often during the sermon, Willie would say something to which the congregation responded with laughter. I have no clue as to what the joke was, but laughter, like music, is a universal language. Its a gift that bridges all kinds of barriers, bringing people together. 2. Whenever we Baileys get together for dinner, laughter is sure to be a big part of our gathering. Little Gemma is just learning to talk. Shes got mama, daddy, Ian, Lizey, and daw (our dog, Emma). Though shes perfectly capable of it, she refuses to say Meema, shaking her head with an emphatic No! to every plea. Then she smiles her innocent smile, and everyone laughs. Laughter spans everything from slapstick belly laughs to nervous laughter born of fear. Were used to comedians who are paid to tickle our fancy with witty one liners. People laugh, but theres something different about laughter that springs from love. Outsiders would think it silly, but we know better. Family laughter is the best kind. 3. Once again its been a long day, starting with worship preparation at 7 am and going straight through till 10 pm. It wasnt just my schedule; Linda is feeling the weight of having to watch helplessly as her mother slowly fades. Its hard to laugh when your heart is heavy with love, sorrow, and uncertainty. But laugh, we do. Even the foibles and indignities of providing intimate care for a mother who is unable even to rise from a chair unassisted offer occasions of laughter which release the stress and deepen affections which will all too soon turn to tears when the day comes to say our earthly goodbyes. We remember the stories; when we accidentally filled the kitchen ceiling with cellulose insulation, bag after garbage bag of it. We recall afternoons of sledding on the hill behind grams house, the morning forty-three years ago when she asked gramps what I had wanted when I called in the middle of the night to ask his permission to marry his daughter. Jim called? was gramps response. I snuck that one right by him. Laughter helps us get through difficult times; it lubricates the machinery of life, makes it possible to navigate difficult waters, helps calm the storm that threatens to swamp our boat. This again, is not the forced or fake laugh tracks we hear on TV. Its the product of the deepest joys and sorrows of life, the response of a heart grateful for those blessings great and small that bind us together in love.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 05:22:16 +0000
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