Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts, said “Laughter is not just a pleasure.  It’s a necessity.”

How long has it been since you had a really good laugh.  You know, the kind where you laugh so hard it hurts.  You laugh for a long time and have to purposely stop to get a breath.  You laugh until tears fill your eyes and at times even run down your cheeks.

I have many good friends, but there is one with whom I have this kind of belly laugh almost every time we get together.  Such fun!  I have another friend who is known by those around her as someone who laughs a lot and causes others to laugh.  The interesting thing about this friend is that she has had a lot of trouble and pain in her life.  She has learned to laugh through the difficulties which has helped her to cope.

The ability to laugh at myself has brought so much relief to my day-to-day experiences.  We all at times do what we would consider dumb things.  We make mistakes.  As a directionally challenged person who gets lost easily, whether on the road or in a hallway, laughter has prevented many a painful tear for me!

Laughter brings along with it health benefits in addition to enjoyment.  It reduces anxiety, releases tension, helps circulation and boosts the immune system.  It is also quite contagious.

So laugh!  It will help you, and those around you, to begin to live . . . life to the fullest.