Find a reason to laugh

​Monday night, I shared a picture here of me watching the show Yellowstone with my Christmas tree glowing in the background. To be honest, I posted it because I love contrasts in life. I love the stories - the lessons - found in comparing one scene to another.

So here was the tranquility of Christmas contrasted with a show that is anything but tranquil. Here was my humble tree constrasted against the backdrop of a larger than life Yellowstone ranch.

Only, when I shared the picture, you, my friends - the people taking it in - saw an entirely different contrast. Or, maybe I should say, an entirely different tension in the story....

You my friends flooded me with concerns - disgust maybe 🤣🤷‍♂️ - at the arrangement of cords that powered my television and entertainment system. They were pulled way too tight. There were too many of them. The television stand was too far away from the outlet. On and on....

Oh, and there was even some concern about the socks I was wearing...

As I was driving home from a meeting yesterday, I drove by a Staples store. Immediately, I thought, I'm going to go in there and buy a new cord. To be honest, it wasn't to address the cord concerns. My motive was to create another contrast - another story.

Last night, I shared a picture of the new and improved 'cordless' edition of the previous night's scene. And my friends noticed the contrast. The comments had me laughing. And my heart was full of joy.

I have a friend - she is going through a tough stretch. Yesterday, she said some days are really easy, some days are really hard.

I get that.

Laughter can be a beautiful contrast in life. Quite often, it's a part of the 'really easy' days. Yesterday, I was reminded that we have it in our power - at times - to create that laughter, to elevate our moods, to increase the friendliness that fills the distance between us - which online, can feel like big distances.

The study noted below says the endorphin release associated with laughter "promotes feelings of togetherness and safety." Maybe it sounds crazy, but as I read the comments coming in last night about my new living room setup, that's what I felt - togetherness and safety.

If I'm being honest, when I posted the originial picture, that's probably what I was searching for. Togetherness and safety.

You know, we don't have to wait on life to turn funny to find a reason to laugh. But to be sure, sometimes we DO have to find the laughter. Or create it. I'm not sure the natural flow of life is in the direction of laughter.

So go find a reason to laugh. I'll tell you, one of the best sources for laughter is YOU - find a reason to laugh at yourself. The way you plug in your TV or the socks you wear while you're watching it.

To a degree, we are all laughable.

I'm thankful for friends who help me find reasons to laugh - at the world and at myself.

And as a bonus - yes, there's a little less tension in the living room these days without all those pesky cords surely stretched to their absolute last limit. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️